More than 200,000 Ukrainian Children Abducted by Russia, Rep. Michael McCaul Warns
More than 200,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russia since the start of its invasion, according to estimates from the United States. Rep. Michael McCaul, Chairman Emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, raised the alarm in an interview with Fox News Digital, calling the situation “one of the most egregious” and “vile” human rights violations in recent history.
McCaul, a Texas Republican, emphasized that the abduction of children is not a random act, but a deliberate strategy by the Russian government to indoctrinate and brainwash them with pro-Russian beliefs. Many children are being given military training, likely to fight on Russia’s front lines, while others are being forced to renounce their Ukrainian identity and assimilate into Russian culture.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, for their roles in the unlawful deportation of children and transfer of children from occupied Ukraine. The Kremlin has denied war crime allegations, claiming it is only facilitating homes for Ukrainian children.
McCaul is part of a coalition working to raise awareness about the issue, including a documentary screening at the Munich Security Conference next month and efforts with a non-profit organization, Save Ukraine, to return the children to their families.
Describing the situation, McCaul drew comparisons to the infamous Nazi physician Josef Mengele, who conducted inhumane experiments on Jewish children and adults. “It’s just evil. I mean, any civilization that would capture… and re-indoctrinate them is sort of reminiscent of Mengele’s experiments on kids… And I don’t think we’ve seen anything like this in recent society.”
A bipartisan resolution was passed by the House last year, condemning Russia’s abduction of Ukrainian children, with only nine members voting against. As a father, McCaul expressed his horror at the thought of his own children being taken away and unknown what was happening to them, saying, “It’s just horrific. I can’t imagine, as a father, my children being, you know, taken away by the Russian Federation and then not knowing where they are or what’s happening to them.”