At the United Nations, the U.S. and its allies accused Moscow of forcibly moving up to 1.6 million Ukrainians to Russia. Speaking to the Security Council on Wednesday, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris said some Ukrainians have faced arbitrary detention, forcible deportation to Russia, torture and enforced disappearance. She also cited credible allegations of forced transfers of unaccompanied children to Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine — or to the Russian Federation itself.

Ilze Brands Kehris: “We are concerned that the Russian authorities have adopted a simplified procedure to grant Russian citizenship to children without parental care and that these children would be eligible for adoption by Russian families. Under Article 50 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Russian Federation is prohibited from changing these children’s personal status, including nationality.”