The UK has imposed sanctions on eight individuals and several organizations involved in the forced deportation and indoctrination of Ukrainian children. Among those sanctioned is the mother of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, Aimani Kadyrova, according to the Kiev Independent. 

"The Kremlin's policy of forced deportations, brainwashing, and militarization of Ukrainian children is appalling. It shows how far President (Vladimir) Putin is willing to go in his attempts to erase the Ukrainian language, culture, and identity," said British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale war, at least 19,546 Ukrainian children have been confirmed as forcibly taken away, according to the Ukrainian database Children of War. Only 1,592 of them have managed to return home. 

The new sanctions target individuals and entities accused of organizing or assisting in the deportations. Among them is the Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation, which runs "transformation" programs, as well as its chairwoman, Aimani Kadyrova, mother of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

The sanctions list also includes Valery Mayorov, head of Russia's state-run Center for Teenage Programs, and Anastasia Akuratova, deputy director of the Russian Ministry of Education responsible for children's rights.

Among the organizations affected are the "First" movement, which instills loyalty to the Kremlin among students, and the "Victory Volunteers," who glorify the Russian army and present the war against Ukraine as a continuation of historical struggles.

The issue of abducted children is central to Ukraine's talks with its allies and attempts at direct dialogue with Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky has emphasized that their return is a non-negotiable element of any future peace agreement. 

In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Putin and Russian Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova for their personal role in organizing the deportations. | BGNES