Two Ukrainian children have reportedly been abducted by Russian forces and transferred to North Korea, according to a legal expert. Kateryna Rashevska informed the U.S. Senate that a 12-year-old boy from occupied Donetsk and a 16-year-old girl from occupied Simferopol were forcibly taken to a camp in Songdowon, North Korea.
The details were presented in a briefing aimed at highlighting alleged violations of international humanitarian law amid ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Rashevska described the abductions as part of a pattern of forcibly removing Ukrainian children from their homes, which has been widely condemned by the international community as a serious violation of human rights.
The Ukrainian government has not yet officially confirmed the abductions but has called for an international investigation into reports of child abductions and deportations. The situation has added to mounting concerns over the treatment of civilians and the use of illegal tactics amid the conflict.
North Korea has yet to respond to these allegations. The reports underscore the complex and escalating nature of the conflict, raising questions about the involvement of external actors and the protection of vulnerable populations during wartime.