Statement of the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay on the findings of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine regarding the deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) notes with grave concern the recent report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine to the UN Human Rights Council regarding crimes against Ukrainian children. The Commission’s findings that the Russian authorities have committed crimes against humanity through the deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children confront the conscience of the whole international community.
According to the Commission, thousands of children have been taken from Ukrainian territory under Russian occupation, many removed from institutions and families without the consent required by international humanitarian law, and still not returned years later. Instead of facilitating reunification, Russian authorities are reported to have prioritized the long‑term placement of these children within the Russian Federation, including through changes of citizenship and adoption or foster care. Such actions deprive children of their families, language, culture, and homeland, inflicting deep psychological and spiritual harm.
These actions are a shocking violation of the God‑given dignity of every child and of the sanctity of family bonds. The deliberate removal and relocation of children for political or ideological purposes is fundamentally incompatible with international law, morality, and Christian values, which call us to protect the smallest and most vulnerable among us. As the WCC has consistently affirmed, armed aggression and the suffering it inflicts—especially upon children—are fundamentally incompatible with God’s will for humanity.
The WCC expresses its profound solidarity with all affected children and their families. We call on the authorities of the Russian Federation to provide the transparency and accountability that a report of this seriousness demands, putting the best interests of each child first.
Source: oikoumene.org
