US tightens sanctions on Russian officials over child abductions

The deportations of Ukrainian children from territories occupied by Russia intensified after the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Kyiv cannot estimate the exact scale of the phenomenon, but some estimates suggest that hundreds of thousands of people may have been deported. The abductions of children from Ukraine led the International Criminal Court in The Hague to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Responsibility for this process also poses a threat to other Russians. The American diplomatic department reported that five Russian officials involved in the forced deportations and detention of Ukrainians have been banned from entering the US. Their identities have not been disclosed.

"Many of these children had their identities altered and their origins concealed. They were subjected to pro-Russian indoctrination and militarisation or were adopted by Russian families. (…) Russia's consistent disregard for its international legal obligations to report the locations of these children makes ensuring their safe return nearly impossible," said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

Also on Wednesday, separate sanctions were announced against TGR Group. The company operates an international network of entities and individuals, enabling Russia to evade US-imposed restrictions. Sanctions were imposed on five individuals and four entities in the US, the United Kingdom, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates. The network, led by Russia-born Ukrainian citizen George Rossi, reportedly used cryptocurrencies linked to the US dollar, including Tether, to launder Russian money or conceal its origins, facilitating, for example, the purchase of real estate in the United Kingdom.