Refugees with their children from the city of Kherson and its area, seized by Russia, are staying at the Odesa Way Home Charity Foundation in Odesa, Ukraine. They are awaiting the assistance of volunteers in finding a new safe home. (File Photo by Stepan Franko/EPA-EFE)
Sept. 23 (UPI) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov issued an invitation to Ukrainian parents to “collect their children” who were taken from Ukraine during the ongoing war.
During the Security Council Open Debate, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the shocking and widespread human rights violations that have been documented by U.N. agencies in relation to the Ukraine war.
These human rights violations include “conflict-related sexual violence,” as well as “arbitrary detentions” and “summary executions.” Russian troops have been primarily responsible for carrying out these atrocities.
Guterres also condemned the forced transfer of Ukrainian civilians, including children, to Russian-controlled territory or to the Russian Federation.
In response to Guterres’ remarks, Lavrov engaged in a lengthy question-and-answer session with reporters. The session, broadcast on Twitter by Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, included Lavrov claiming that the United States is “directly at war” with Russia.
“It was surprising to hear this, especially about children,” Lavrov commented.
He revealed that Russia had held “detailed discussions” with Virginia Gamba, the U.N. Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children in Armed Conflict, during her recent visit to Russia.
“In a meeting the following day, I asked on what basis and facts he makes such allegations and the response has not yet been forthcoming,” Lavrov said.
He then attempted to shift the conversation to larger issues that Russia has with Guterres.
Lavrov mentioned the accusations of mass executions in the Ukrainian city of Bucha, which are widely considered to be war crimes committed by Russian forces. He claimed that Russia had requested to receive a list of the last names of the individuals shown in pictures worldwide, with the intention of discrediting the accusations.
According to Lavrov, providing this information is “something quite simple,” and he criticized the lack of evidence linking Russia to the poisoning of Alexey Navalny, a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin and a major opposition leader who is currently imprisoned in Russia.
“We are waiting for the secretary-general to substantiate the statements which he makes because he needs to speak on behalf of the United Nations secretariat, as outlined in the charter.”
Lavrov accused Guterres of failing to act impartially or neutrally, as required by the U.N. charter, and of not receiving instructions from any government.
When a reporter from CBS News asked Lavrov directly about when Russia would return the children shown in video interviews, Lavrov responded by suggesting that “we all know how those videos are made.”
“The list of all the children who ended up in Russia without guardians is openly available, unlike the names of the bodies in Bucha,” Lavrov stated. He added, “If those families are found, we will assist in reunification.”
Lavrov claimed that the “vast majority” of the children taken to Russia were living in orphanages, without addressing the significance of their removal.
The forced transfer of children from one group to another is a violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
“When the special military operation began, we took them to safety. But we never tried to conceal the names of these children who were taken out of the country,” Lavrov asserted.
“We continue to invite these parents, if they are out there, to come and collect their children. You can come and travel to these children yourselves.”
