Ukrainian minister says child abductions by Russia are 'unprecedented' and urges UN action

At a question-and-answer session following remarks at the United Nations General Assembly, Gabriel Oizondo of Al Jazeera English asked what the UN can do "to bring back Ukrainian children that that are allegedly being held by Russia." The Foreign Minister said the scale of the abduction is "unprecedented" and described it as involving "thousands, tens of thousands" of children.

"The scale of the crime of abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia is unprecedented," the Foreign Minister said, and added that while the UN "is trying to be helpful," it currently "lacks instruments to deliver better results" in returning children to Ukraine. He said the issue of civilian captives is likewise overlooked by international politics, noting that civilians detained by Russia are not prisoners of war and cannot be swapped under the same rules.

The minister said he had raised both topics with the UN Secretary-General and asked the United Nations to review what can be done within existing instruments and what new instruments might be introduced to strengthen efforts to recover abducted children and civilian detainees. He framed the request as a matter of protecting human rights and human security worldwide.

The exchange did not include further detail on mechanisms, legal pathways or concrete timelines; the minister emphasized the need for stronger tools and international cooperation to address the problem.