EXCLUSIVE - UN blacklists Russian army for killing children in Ukraine

By Betul Yuruk

UNITED NATIONS (AA) - The UN blacklisted Russian armed forces and affiliated armed groups for killing children and other grave violations in Ukraine, according to a report seen by Anadolu.

"Russian armed forces and affiliated arms groups have been listed for attacks on schools and hospitals and for killing children in particular through the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area including shelling from heavy artillery, multiple-launch rocket systems, missiles, and airstrikes in populated areas," said the UN annual report on children in armed conflict.

The report covers the period from January to December 2022.

The UN verified 2,334 violations against 1,482 children including 91 children who were victims of multiple violations in Ukraine.

As many as 477 children were killed and 909 children were maimed by the Russian forces and affiliated armed groups, while 80 children were killed and 175 maimed by Ukrainian armed forces, according to the report.

A total of 92 children were used by Russian armed forces and Ukrainian armed forces "as human shields, as a hostage and for domestic chores and for intelligence gathering," said the report

Unidentified perpetrators mostly caused by airstrikes killed 261 children and maimed 212.

The UN also verified the abduction 91 children by the Russian armed forces, in addition to the transfer of 46 children to Russia from areas of Ukraine.