The United Kingdom (UK) has imposed sanctions on eight Russian individuals and three organizations, accusing them of involvement in the alleged deportation and “indoctrination” of Ukrainian children.
In a statement on September 3, the UK government said the sanctions target officials and state-backed groups allegedly central to a campaign of relocating children from occupied Ukrainian territories to so-called “re-education camps” in Russia.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned the actions, stating that no child should be a pawn in war.
“To take a child from their home and seek to forcibly erase their heritage and upbringing through lies and disinformation can never be tolerated. No child should ever be a pawn of war, and that is why we are holding those responsible to account.”
“The Kremlin’s policy of forced deportations, indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children is despicable.”
According to the UK Foreign Office, nearly 20,000 children have been forcibly transferred to Russia since the 2022 invasion, with around 6,000 sent to “re-education camps.
UK Acts Against Russians Involved in the Forcible Transfer of Ukrainian Children
Among those sanctioned are Aymani Kadyrova, mother of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, and the Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation, which she heads. Other targeted entities include the government-backed movements Volunteers of Victory and the state-led youth organization Movement of the First.
Additional individuals sanctioned include Anastasia Pavlovna Akkuratova, Zamid Alievich Chalayev, Leyla Rinatova Fazleeva, Aleksandr Gurov, Valery Maiorov, Rinat Nailevich Sadykov, and Nataliya Vitaliyivna Tyshchenko.
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The sanctions were imposed under the Russia Sanctions Regulations 2019 and the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, which allow the UK to freeze assets and restrict financial dealings with designated individuals and organizations.
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) has instructed that all accounts, funds, and economic resources belonging to the sanctioned individuals and entities must be frozen.
UK entities and individuals are prohibited from providing trust services or transferring funds to the designated parties unless authorized by OFSI. Failure to comply with the sanctions may constitute a criminal offence.
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About the Plan
The UK has highlighted that Russia is carrying out a long-term plan to force Russian culture on children in parts of Ukraine it temporarily occupies.
The goal is to weaken Ukrainian identity and control the region.
United Nations (UN) reports show that Russian authorities have introduced Russian lessons in schools and training programs to prepare children for military service.
The UK says that more than 19,500 Ukrainian children have been forcibly moved to Russia or occupied areas, with about 6,000 sent to “re-education camps.”
At these camps, children are taught pro-Russian ideas, have their Ukrainian identity erased, and, in some cases, receive military training.
This approach, first used after Russia took over Crimea more than ten years ago, also involves rewriting history lessons to glorify Russian actions and encourage loyalty to Russia.
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