Russia's kidnapping of Ukrainian children is not unique – Putin and others have long used children as political pawns
- Written by Clementine Fujimura, Professor of Anthropology, Area Studies and Russian, United States Naval Academy
People in Brussels attend a memorial for the Ukrainian children who have been forcibly taken to Russia. hierry Monasse/Getty ImagesSince Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian soldiers have forcibly taken an estimated 16,000 Ukrainian children to Russia. Over 300 children have since returned home, but it is not...





