UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michel Bechelt announced yesterday that suspicions were being investigated that Russian citizens were adopting Ukrainian children deported from the country during the war, while the chairman of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry declared that there were signs of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine.
Bechelt updated yesterday that her office is examining reports that Ukrainian children were “forcibly deported” to Russia where they were offered adoption, and that some of the children have already been taken from orphanages. “We are concerned about the alleged plans of the Russian authorities to allow the movement of children from Ukraine to families in Russia, and that do not include measures to unite families or respect the best interests of the child,” she said.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry yesterday completed a ten-day visit to Ukraine, during which members of the commission toured Kiev, Bocha, Irpin, Kharkiv and Sumy. Evidence “from people who shared their painful stories.”
Committee member Jasminka Jumhour of Bosnia and Herzegovina updated that the commission had received information regarding the destruction of property of Ukrainian citizens, looting and evidence of sexual violence, in addition to evidence of crimes against children. “The committee will further examine all of these allegations,” she noted. “The committee will act independently, neutrally and objectively and will examine violations and abuses regardless of the identity of the perpetrator,” added committee member Pablo de Greif of Colombia.
Meanwhile the situation in the city of Sverdansk in the Luhansk region continues to be difficult, with the Russians holding most of the city territory, while the Ukrainians control the industrial area. Most of the attention is focused on the Azot chemical plant, where hundreds of civilians are staying in the underground bunkers. “The shortage of water and sanitation is a major concern,” said UN Humanitarian Office spokesman Saviano Abreu.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country is ending the EU presidency at the end of the month, may visit German Chancellor Olaf Schultz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi in Kiev to discuss, among other things, increasing the supply of heavy weapons to Ukraine and its future European membership. Ahead of the union summit next week.
France did not officially confirm the date of the visit yesterday, but confirmed that the president intends to make such a visit before the end of the French tenure. This will be the French president’s first visit to Ukraine since the start of the war. He and his two visiting friends, who have also not been there since the start of the war, are not enjoying good public relations in Kiev because of their desire, according to Macron’s definition, “not to humiliate Russia” ahead of negotiations with it.
Macron ended a visit yesterday with French troops to the NATO front in Romania at a base in Constanza. He also visited Moldova. At a press conference with the President of Romania, Macron said: Russia, and the Europeans sat around the table to provide security guarantees. “We are not waging a war against Russia. The desired solution to the conflict is either a military victory for Ukraine or a ceasefire negotiations that will allow an agreement between Ukraine and Russia.”