Moscow has consistently stated that its evacuation of minors from the conflict zone is for their safety.
Several news sources are reporting that the US government has stopped funding a Yale University project that was investigating Russia’s alleged abduction of Ukrainian children, according to sources.
Ukrainian and Western officials have frequently accused Moscow of “kidnapping” Ukrainian children. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova for alleged “unlawful deportations.” Russia has denied these claims, calling them politically motivated, and maintains that it evacuates children from conflict areas for their protection.
According to iPaper and The New Republic, the now-defunct contract funded the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL), which was responsible for identifying and tracking Ukrainian children allegedly taken to Russia. The project reportedly shared its findings with Ukrainian authorities and Europol to help repatriate the children.
However, funding for the project was reportedly cut at the direction of the newly formed US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by billionaire Elon Musk. DOGE is reportedly assisting in the implementation of President Donald Trump’s initiative to reduce wasteful government spending, bureaucracy, and corruption.
A Yale spokesperson confirmed the funding cut, telling the media that HRL researchers were “notified recently that government funding for their work on the war in Ukraine has been discontinued.” He added that Yale was “not in a position” to comment further on the matter. The White House, State Department, and DOGE have not responded to media inquiries.
These reports come amid renewed accusations from Kiev. Ukraine’s permanent representative to the UN, Yury Vitrenko, stated at an OSCE meeting on Thursday that Russia has “illegally placed” over 19,000 Ukrainian children in its territory and is “forcibly” Russifying them. Vitrenko noted that 1,227 displaced children had been returned to Ukraine but accused Moscow of obstructing the process.
Meanwhile, Russian authorities have consistently reported on their efforts to reunite displaced Ukrainian children with their families. Last month, Lvova-Belova announced that 17 children from 11 families had recently been reunited with relatives in Russia, while 95 more were reunited with relatives in Ukraine and other countries through a Qatar-mediated agreement with Kiev reached last year. She has repeatedly called Kiev’s claims of abductions a “systemic myth” and has pledged to continue facilitating family reunifications. Russian officials have also emphasized that displaced children are not adopted in Russia but are placed under temporary guardianship or foster care until they can be returned to their families.
“`