Russia's illegal war in Ukraine continues to have a devastating impact on children: UK statement to the OSCE
Source: gov.uk (2025-07-09)

Deputy Ambassador James Ford condemns the grave violations Russian armed forces and authorities have committed against children in Ukraine, including through attacks on schools and hospitals.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Mr Chair. I would also like to thank the speakers for their insights on the important and emotive topic we are dealing with today.

The United Kingdom is deeply concerned about the worsening situation for children in conflicts around the world. More grave violations against children were verified by the UN than ever before in 2024, and instances of rape and other forms of sexual violence against children increased by 35% compared to 2023.

Regrettably, Madam Chair, our own region has not been immune from this trend. Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine continues to have a harrowing effect on Ukraine’s 7.5 million children – on their health, education, family life and prospects for their futures.

In 1999, UN Security Council Resolution 1261 defined ‘Six Grave Violations’ most frequently affecting children in times of war. According to the latest UN report on children and armed conflict, there is mounting evidence that Russian authorities and Russian armed forces have committed at least five of these Six Grave Violations in Ukraine. For consecutive years, the UN Secretary General has reported that under two categories – the killing and maiming of children, and attacks on schools and hospitals – the violations committed by Russian armed forces are prolific enough to warrant formal listing in his annual report.

A case in point is the attack on the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv. Yesterday marked one year since a Russian KH-101 cruise missile struck the hospital. It was the biggest children’s medical facility in Ukraine and the country’s primary provider of specialist paediatric care.

According to UNICEF’s report from November 2024, the war has killed or injured over 2,406 children – an average of sixteen children every week. The UN verified 222 cases of children being killed or injured in Ukraine between 1 March and 31 May 2025 – three times more children killed than during the previous quarter. In April this year alone, 97 children were killed or maimed. According to UN statistics, that is the highest monthly number of child casualties since June 2022.

It is not just death or injury that Ukrainian children face on a daily basis. According to the Government of Ukraine, the Russian authorities and armed forces have deported nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children to Russia and the temporarily occupied territories. UN reports detail the treatment of Ukrainian children in these territories. Russian authorities have systematically forced the introduction of Russian language curriculum in schools, as well as ‘military-patriotic’ training. They have also forced Ukrainian children to adopt Russian citizenship. Save the Children estimates that Russian attacks destroyed or damaged 576 education facilities in 2024 – more than double the 256 of the year before.

UN and Save the Children reports also underline that children fleeing the fighting in Ukraine are at significant risk of family separation, abuse, violence, sexual exploitation, and trafficking. Countless people will bear the social and psychological trauma for years to come.

Moscow continues to try to disguise these crimes through a campaign of denial and disinformation. But these abuses have all been verified by independent sources, including the UN, ODIHR and reports commissioned under the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism.

As we all know, and as the speakers have detailed today, children are uniquely vulnerable and disproportionately affected by conflict. We welcome the OSCE’s work to hold Russia accountable for its actions and to support Ukraine, including through the SPU, the Support Programme for Ukraine. And we call on Russia to cease this unprovoked, illegal war and immediately and unconditionally return forcibly deported children to Ukraine.

Thank you.