Russia Faces Outcry Over Adoption 'Catalog' of Ukrainian Children

Details of the Catalog
As Save Ukraine CEO Mykola Kuleba said, this list contains the last names of many children who were born in Luhansk Oblast when it was still free and held Ukrainian citizenship. He said some children had lost their parents because of the actions of the occupation authorities, and others had been issued with Russian identity papers to justify taking them. According to the outlet, such children are listed in a catalogue as "orphans and children left without parental care" and characterised by traits such as whether the child is "obedient," "calm", or otherwise.

Kuleba equated the descriptions with a "slave catalog," branding it as modern-day child trafficking and calling for swift global steps to end the practice.

Wider Context and International Response
Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, other nations, along with rights organisations, have accused Moscow of apparently abducting Ukrainian children and effectively sending them to Russia illegitimately, where they are then put in the care of Russian households. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova on charges of war crimes — specifically, the deportation and transfer of Ukrainian kids at some stage in March 2023.

According to Ukrainian officials, about 20,000 children have been taken away to Russia since the war began, with tens of thousands more being lured into Russian military youth programs in occupied territories. Moscow has rejected accusations and argued that children have been relocated for their safety.