Don Bacon: “16,226 children in Ukraine have been taken from their families by Russia through forced transfers and deportations…”

“16,226 children in Ukraine have been taken from their families by Russia through forced transfers and deportations between February 24, 2022, and March 22, 2023. Let me say it again. 16,226 Ukrainian children have been taken from their homes and sent to Russia. Most people call this act kidnapping or abduction. In March, the United Nations Human Rights Council determined that the Russian actions are a violation of human rights. On March 17, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Putin for these kidnappings. When the Russians take these children, they are sent to ``reeducation camps'' where they wait until a Russian foster family is found. What lies are told to these children? That their family is dead? In the case of 12-year-old Sashko, the Russians told him his mother ``no longer needed him.'' In March of 2022, Sashko and his mother, Snizhana, were captured in Mariupol and separated in the Russian camp, not even allowing them to say goodbye to each other. Sashko was taken to have an eye injury treated and was then placed in an orphanage. After some time, he found a phone and secretly called his grandmother. She gathered all of his documents and risked her own freedom and possible detainment to go and get him. The love of a grandmother. With his grandmother's efforts, his courage, and the assistance of a large network of government and nongovernment entities, they were happily reunited.…”