Ukraine war: UN accuses Russia of breaking child protection rules over refugees - BBC News

Moscow is accused of giving refugees Russian passports and allowing them to be adopted.

1 day agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Filippo Grandi has been on a six-day visit to Ukraine to assess the situationBy Kathryn ArmstrongBBC NewsThe head of the United Nations' refugee agency has accused Moscow of violating "fundamental" child protection principles by giving Russian passports to unaccompanied child refugees.

Filippo Grandi added that Russia had then been putting these children up for adoption by Russian families.

He said the UNHCR would try to get access to those affected and try to find solutions in their best interest.

However, Mr Grandi admitted he did not know how many children were affected.

"In the situation of war, you cannot determine if children have families or guardianship. And therefore, until that is clarified, you cannot give them another nationality or having them adopted by another family," Mr Grandi said.

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