Is it true Moscow has removed 700,000 children from Ukraine conflict zones?

Grigory Karasin took to his Telegram messaging channel late on Sunday to reveal Moscow has brought some 700,000 children from Ukraine conflict zones into Russian territory.

“700,000 children have found refuge with us, fleeing the bombing and shelling,” wrote the head of the international committee in the Federation Council, Russia’s upper house of parliament.

Russia’s full-scale ‘Special Military Operation’ has been continuing in Ukraine since February 2022. Scores of people, including civilians, have been killed, with numerous others injured.

Kyiv And Washington Allege Forcible Deportation

Moscow says its programme of bringing kids from conflict-stricken areas of Ukraine into Russian territory is to protect the orphans and abandoned children.

Kyiv, however, says thousands of children have been illegally deported into Russia, while the US says thousands of innocent kids have been forcibly removed from their homes.

The majority of movement of people and children was seen in the first few months of the brutal invasion and before Ukraine launched its major counteroffensive in late August.

While the war-ravaged nation has been able to regain some of its occupied territories over the months, a lot more work is yet to be done.

In July last year, the US estimated Russia forcibly removed 260,000 children, while Ukraine says 19,492 kids are currently considered illegally deported.

Disclosure Follows Recent Wagner Uprising In Russia

The announcement on the number of Ukrainian children in Russian territory arrived just days after a major uprising rocked Russia for 24 hours.

One fine day, scores of heavily-armed soldiers loyal to Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin marched hundreds of kilometres toward Moscow.

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But surprising the international community who had been closely monitoring the situation, Prigozhin suddenly put an end to the mutiny and agreed to go into exile in Belarus.

Russia swiftly dropped all criminal charges against the Wagner boss and his troops related to the unrest – giving an impression Putin potentially had to make concessions this time.

The decision to drop the charges didn’t fall in line with the hefty punishments Russian authorities have given people for engaging in even minor protests against the war.