On January 4th, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a citizenship decree advancing citizenship to foreigners and people without citizenship. This will make way for orphaned Ukrainian children or those in need of guardianship to be accelerated to Russian citizenship. The Ukrainian foreign ministry declared the decree illegal due to the thousands of children forced to deport to Russia since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

According to the Ukrainian foreign ministry, this decree is part of Russia’s border demographic strategy to weaponize war refugees, mainly children, to validate their presence. The ministry stated, “The real value of this decree is that it will serve as further evidence of Russia’s crimes against Ukraine, the forced assimilation of Ukrainian children, and the attempts to deprive them of their own homeland”. The Russian government, or the Moscow Kremlin are working to introduce new legislation to prevent stolen Ukrainian children from returning to their homeland and stripping their citizenship. The number of stolen children is around 19,000 as reported by Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Commissioner for Human Rights. Based on the Ukrainian national database Children of war, only 387 children have been returned. In removing Ukrainian children, Russia’s plan is to turn them against their homeland and into full blown Russian subjects.

It is paramount to investigate the perspective of the children for a peaceful solution. Although, an amicable solution for this deeply rooted ideological conflict seems like a near impossibility. A Putin led Russia is going to continue to fight for the unification of the past Slavic state. With that, a consensus should arise between both states to protect children’s rights during times of war without stolen children. An exchange of hostages and stolen children between Russia and Ukraine will make way for a peaceful resolution.

Back in the early months of 2023, the Ukrainian government called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate the actions of Russian leadership. Calling a plea to the international community to execute the ICC arrest warrant for Putin and his actions towards children’s rights. On March 17th, 2023, the ICC in the Hague, Netherlands issued an arrest warrant for Putin on the charges of committing war crimes in the forced deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. Backing the warrant was the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe that adopted a resolution addressing the forced deportation as genocide on April 27th.

Russia is not only violating children’s rights, but also Ukrainian law, and international law. Rights are being violated and Russia needs to acknowledge and take accountability for the thousands of deported Ukrainian children. The exchange of hostages and stolen children will allow children to go rightfully back to their homeland. Russia’s inhumane orchestration in this systematic kidnapping will not be excused and the fight for peace for Ukraine will continue with the international community’s support.