The Russian Federation’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine has had catastrophic consequences for children: numerous killings and injuries, sexual violence, destruction of educational and medical facilities, mass abductions and forced detention of Ukrainian children by the Russian Federation are heinous crimes that cannot be justified.

Ukraine, as a State Party to the main international legal instruments in the field of children's rights, is taking all possible measures to strengthen the protection of children, through cooperation with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict and the implementation of the Joint UN Preventive Action Plan.

Ukraine welcomes the decision of the UN Secretary-General to keep the Russian armed forces and affiliated armed groups on the list of grave violators for the killing and maiming of children and attacks on schools and hospitals. The Russian Federation has not only failed to take appropriate preventive measures but has also significantly increased the intensity of shelling of civilian infrastructure and densely populated areas. In addition, the Kremlin regime continues the criminal practice of forcible transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children and in every possible way impedes their repatriation and reunification with their families in Ukraine.

We are also pleased to note that, unlike last year, this year's report does not categorize the Russian armed forces as having “taken measures to stop violations during the reporting period”.

Since the report is being submitted to the UN Security Council for consideration, we call on the Security Council’s Member States to give it due consideration and to demand in principle and in a firm manner that the aggressor state fully comply with all its obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law. These include granting access to the UN and other authorized international organizations to all temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and its territory, and the immediate return of all Ukrainian children held by force in the territory of the Russian Federation, Belarus or temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

Ukraine calls on the international community to continue to put pressure on Russia to cease its aggression against Ukraine and for the immediate and safe return of all Ukrainian children unlawfully held by Russia.

For reference: The mandate of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict is approved by 13 UN Security Council resolutions, which identify six grave violations against children during armed conflict: recruitment and use of children; killing and maiming of children; sexual violence against children; attacks on schools and hospitals; abduction of children; denial of humanitarian access.

In 2023, the UN verified 938 grave violations committed in Ukraine involving 543 children. It is also noted that 160 additional violations committed in 2022 were confirmed.

Last year, the Secretary-General's decision to "list" the Russian Armed Forces was absolutely unprecedented, as in the history of the mandate, the regular army of a UN Security Council member state, let alone a permanent member, has never been included in this "list of shame" (although it should be noted that Russia is not a legitimate permanent member of the UN Security Council, as it occupied the seat of the USSR in 1991). 

The decision on listing stipulates that the Russian Federation is obliged to develop and implement an action plan under the UN control, which is a prerequisite for removal from the list.