Zelenskyy: Russia Teaches Stolen Ukrainian Children to Hate Ukraine

In a wide-ranging but brief interview today with Margaret Brennan of CBS “Face The Nation,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine expressed his fear that the more than 20,000 Ukrainian children that been stolen by Russia will be indoctrinated into hating Ukraine and even killing Ukrainians as they’re being prepared to join the Russian cutthroats and fight Ukrainians.

Both points constitute a violation of the child’s human rights, according to the United Nations.

After talking about Ukraine’s weapons’ needs, negotiations, European support, Washington’s backing and commercial military developments, Brennan asked Zelenskyy about Yale University’s claim of at least six Russian reeducation camps. She clarified her question by adding that “Russian oil and gas companies are assisting with this state-sponsored kidnapping program. Has the US lifting these sanctions basically helped fund kidnapping Ukrainian kids? Is that what's happening?”

Zelenskyy replied that he does not fully agree with that assertion, according to the transcript. He said “lifting sanctions is a help for the soldiers of Russia. It's very helpful for their defense industry.”

However, he continued, lifting or maintaining sanctions are about finding a dialogue with Russians. “But it's not correct dialogue. Why? Because Russians don't understand words, they don't understand – I think they don't understand emotions, because they think that this weak position, that’s why we need to be strong and put sanctions on them.”

As for “state-sponsored kidnapping” of Ukrainian children, which actually is theft of children because there is no implied expectation of Russia ever returning them, Zelenskyy said, “They really stolen thousands of Ukrainian children. We know about 20,000, we know, but maybe it's more, but we identify 20,000, we know the names. And we could bring back, by the way, thanks to leaders to different countries, and by the way, Middle East partners, and the First Ladies of Ukraine and of the United States, they also help with it.”

However, continued Zelenskyy, Ukrainian officials brought back during all these years only 2,200 some 10% the number of the children that the Ukrainian government knows about.

“So, but I think that thousands of children we didn't identify until now, so this is a big problem. I don't see how Russians are ready to give us back these children. This is a difficult way how we do this. So they proposed us to exchange children with soldiers. Can you imagine, how we can exchange our children? We can't- first of all, it's out of the law. We can't exchange civilians. You can give back civilians. And how you can exchange- yes, it's important to get back our warriors, war prisoners- war prisoners, but we can't exchange them on the children. But the fact that Russia proposed to exchange children, this is the answer, that they stolen children. And I hope that Congress will find – find the possibility again to put sanctions on Russians, because of the children.

Brennan repeated her question about Washington’s help in bring back the stolen Ukrainian children, to which Zelenskyy replied: “We need more help. We need more help. We need thousands children- to get them back. You know that we lose time. Why? Because there are, you know, such very bad examples, awful examples. When these children grow up and they push these boys to the battlefield.”

This assertion further perplexed Brennan into repeating herself and goading Zelenskyy to substantiate his claim: “Yes, we have evidence of it. Yes, and they, they teach- they taught these children to hate their native country, to hate native people. And Ukrainians, can you imagine, such young Ukrainians, young boys, come to the battlefield and kill- kill Ukrainians. So, I mean, this is- this is a practical way of disinformation of Russia. How they use all the instruments to kill Ukraine and Ukrainians, and how to use children. And also they want- there is one of the rule, how they divide families. They divide families, I mean, the brother, they moved- brother and sister, for example, boy and girl, they divide them and move to different families. This is, I mean, and there are hundreds examples of such – of such steps of Russia. That's why we can't lose time. We need to bring back children as quick as possible, and of course we need – we need the help of all the world. We need help of the United States of America.”

In addition to all of Russia’s other crimes against Ukrainians, the one that pertains to children is most blatant and painful. Russians must also be held accountable for this violation.