Russia summons UN meeting after ICC charged Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russian official, with war crimes for deporting Ukrainian children.
The controversial UN meeting that Russia summoned to address what it claims is false information about Ukrainian children being transferred to Russia will be briefed by the country’s commissioner for children’s rights, who is wanted for war crimes.
The informal Security Council meeting, which has provoked criticism from Ukraine’s allies, will include Maria Lvova-Belova as the lead speaker via video connection, according to a confirmation from Russia’s UN Mission on Tuesday.
For their alleged complicity in the wrongful deportation and transfer of children from seized parts of Ukraine to Russia, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for her and President Vladimir Putin last month.
In a statement, the United Kingdom said it has protested by preventing outside broadcast of the conference and would not be sending an ambassador. The US delegation declared that it also would not send an ambassador.
James Kariuki, the deputy ambassador for the UK, said: “The fact that they are inviting someone indicted by the ICC speaks for itself.”
Russia’s UN mission
The meeting on Wednesday, according to Russia’s UN mission, is intended to provide “objective information” concerning children living in dangerous situations in the eastern Donbas, which includes Donetsk.
The mission asserted that certain delegations and the Western media misrepresented the evacuations as “abduction,” “forced displacement,” and “adoption” and alleged that Russia was trying to obliterate their Ukrainian identity.
“Such a position is not only baseless and illogical, it is also inhumane as it virtually calls for leaving orphaned or uncared-for children in the midst of hostilities,” the mission’s statement said.
During a news conference on Tuesday in Moscow, Lvova-Belova said she was prepared to return deported children to Ukraine at the request of their families.
A report from her office states that since March 29, 16 kids from 9 families have been reunited with relatives who live in Ukraine or somewhere else. Yet, she steadfastly declined to release a comprehensive list of the Ukrainian children sent to Russia.
(NEWS AGENCIES)
