Tetiana Zuieva, member of the Free Trade Union of Education and Science of Ukraine: ‘Every kidnapped child is not only a blow to Ukraine, it is a blow to humanity’

Ivana Bacik, Leader of the Labour Party (Ireland): ‘I commend all activists who are taking part in protests against Russia’s abduction and deportation of Ukrainan children’

‘Since 2014, it is known that Russia has abducted nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children. Protests against this barbaric war crime are occurring all over the world, and Russia’s criminal actions have been condemned in the European Parliament and across EU Member States. I commend all activists who are taking part in protests against Russia’s abduction and deportation of Ukrainan children. I have raised this issue in Dáil Éireann (the Irish parliament) and have demanded that the Irish government takes appropriate action to express the strongest possible condemnation of Russian war crimes.’

Comité Français de la Réseau Européen de Solidarité Avec l’Ukraine : Il faut sauver les enfants de l’Ukraine

European Parliament: Return of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred and deported by Russia

Text of resolution, May 8 (other EU languages available here)

Adopted by 516 votes in favour, 3 votes against and 34 abstentions

Summary: MEPs strongly condemn the "genocidal strategy" carried out by Russia, with the support of Belarus, designed to erase Ukrainian identity. The forced transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children, their illegal adoption, their assassination, and the forced Russification and militarisation must stop.

Russia must report the identities and whereabouts of all deported Ukrainian children and ensure their well-being and safe and unconditional return. The Russian authorities must also allow international organisations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNICEF, access to all deported Ukrainian children, argue MEPs.

The EU must continue to support the Ukrainian authorities and international and non governmental organisations in their efforts to document the deported children. MEPs also call on the EU and the member states to join the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. The international community must meanwhile hold Russia accountable by reinforcing coordination through the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, and the Special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. Any genuine peace deal must include the repatriation of these children and accountability for forcible transfers and deportations.

John Lyons, Councillor, Dublin City Council: ‘Millions of children in Gaza, South Sudan, Ukraine and elsewhere are having their lives taken, their futures destroyed’

In the three years of death, destruction, hardship and misery endured by the people of Ukraine as a result of the Russian Federation's illegal invasion of their country, one particularly reprehensible and disturbing aspect of Putin's war of aggression and annexation is the forcible transfer of at least 20,000 children and young people from Ukraine into Russia or Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine.

The Yale School of Medicine has summarised the scale of the crime against humanity involved: "Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine includes a systematic campaign of forcibly moving children from Ukraine into Russia, fracturing their connection to Ukrainian language and heritage through 're-education', and even disconnecting children from their Ukrainian identities through adoption. Children documented by the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) range in age from four months to 17 years, and many have families looking for them in Ukraine."

As an elected representative of Dublin City Council I endorse the overwhelmingly supported May 8 resolution of the European Parliament, demanding the return from the Russian Federation of Abducted Ukrainian children and give my full support to the June 1 International Day of Action in support of this urgent cause.

June 1st is International Children’s Day, a day when people across the world raise awareness of the importance of children's well-being and the need to protect them from all forms of violence and discrimination. Sadly, millions of children in Gaza, South Sudan, Ukraine and elsewhere are having their lives taken, their futures destroyed.For the children of Ukraine abducted by Russian forces, we must demand their immediate safe return to their families, to their homes and homeland.

John Boyle, General Secretary, Irish National Teachers' Organisation

The INTO endorses the campaign to end the forceful transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children and to return them all, ending the enforced Russification process and militarisation.

Message sent to 50,000 INTO members: ’On 1 June, International Children’s Day, international protests will draw much-needed attention to the forcible kidnapping of nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children by Russia.

‘On the eve of International Children’s Day, May 30, the European Network in Solidarity with Ukraine invites you to an online meeting (in English, French and Ukrainian) where you can learn more about this issue and find out about European efforts to address this issue. There are also protests planned.

Other endorsements

Lesley Byrne Dublin City Councillor (Social Democrats) Nóirín Greene (Senior Irish Trade Unionist) Des Derwin, Vice Chair, Dublin District Council, Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union Tadhg Mac Pháidín, Teachers’ Club (Cumann na Múinteoirí) Gregor Kerr (INTO) Joanne Doyle, District 14 CEC Rep INTO Máire English, District 4 CEC Rep INTO Máire Lineen, District 15 CEC Rep INTO Peter O’Toole, District 7 CEC Rep INTO Seán Mullin, Chair INTO Lisburn Branch Sinéad Dowling, Craobh Dhún Laoghaire INTO Feargal Brougham, Dublin North East INTO Joe Duffy, Blanchardstown Branch INTO Caroline Farrell, Dublin Tolka INTO Noelle Moran, ASTI Global Solidarity Committee Kevin Doyle, Irish Writers Union Conor Kostick, Executive member Irish Writers Union James Kearney, Dún Laoghaire Labour Party Spark Deeley, illustrator Paddy Cole, Chairperson, Labour Party Trade Union Group

Cian O’Callaghan, Member for Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats (Spokesperson Foreign Affairs)

“The Russian invasion of Ukraine is unprecedented, unprovoked and perverse. Putin’s despotic behaviour and war crimes have irrevocably changed the geopolitical landscape and made us realise that we can no longer take peace in Europe for granted. One of the most sinister aspects of this invasion has been the thousands of Ukrainian children who have been taken from their homes and brought to Russia. I fully support the protest taking place on International Children’s Day calling for their safe return to their families and their homes.”

Ukraine Solidarity Network (US): ‘Free the children: End the starvation and genocide!’

Slavoj Žižek: ‘Even worse than ethnic cleansing’

Resolution unanimously adopted by the Council of Sant Vicenç dels Horts (Barcelona Metropolitan Area)

(Translation: text, also as online petition, here: https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/aturem-el-genocidi-dinfants)