Ukraine-Russia Conflict: Ukraine blames Russia over the kidnapping of 2,389 children from Donetsk and Luhansk

The US embassy in Kyiv reported that Ukraine’s foreign ministry blamed Russian troops for kidnapping 2,389 Ukrainian children from  Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. In a statement on Monday, Ukraine’s foreign ministry said Russian forces have forcibly deported 2,389 children from Donetsk and Luhansk and called the move “a gross violation of international law.”

According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Russian forces have illegally removed 2,389 Ukrainian children from Donetsk and Luhanks oblasts to Russia. This is not assistance. It is kidnapping.

— U.S. Embassy Kyiv (@USEmbassyKyiv) March 22, 2022

Russian forces are not only targeting and killing our children, but also forcibly moving them to the RF. Investigation is ongoing on the forcible transfer of 2,389 children from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia. @MFA_Ukraine#RussianWarCrimes

— Iryna Venediktova (@VenediktovaIV) March 21, 2022

Meanwhile, it's been one month since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The UN’s recent data shows that 6.5 million Ukrainians have been internally displaced since the war began. Early on Tuesday Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged direct talks with Vladimir Putin, saying: “Without this meeting it is impossible to fully understand what they are ready for in order to stop the war.” However, Biden spoke after the Pentagon said it had seen “clear evidence” Russian forces were committing war crimes and that it was helping collect evidence. Biden also warned the US business community of intelligence pointing to a growing Russian cyber threat and urged companies to “immediately” prepare defences. Replying to this Russia has threatened to cut ties with the US after Joe Biden called Vladimir Putin a war criminal, claiming his comments “put Russian-American relations on the verge of a breach”.