The Facts
- Russia announced Tuesday that an additional six Ukrainian children — among the thousands Kyiv alleges have been forcibly displaced and trapped in Russia or Russian-occupied territories — are en route to Ukraine via Belarus following a Qatar-mediated agreement.
- In October, four children were returned to Ukraine under a deal brokered by Qatar, negotiations of which began when Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani visited the warring countries over the summer.
- While Ukraine alleges Russia has taken 20K children during the war without their family's consent, Moscow denies any wrongdoing, stating that the Kremlin has been moving vulnerable children from the frontlines for their safety.
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The Spin
Pro-Russia narrative
Though Ukraine may paint it differently, this entire saga has resulted from Russia first rescuing children from a war zone and subsequently returning them to Ukraine when appropriate. Furthermore, children from both sides of the border have been trapped on either side of this conflict — negotiations have focused on safely relocating Russian and Ukrainian minors to their respective home countries.
Pro-Ukraine narrative
Putin's exploitation of children during war is a tale as old as the Soviet Union. Ukrainian children are being unlawfully detained in institutions of propaganda and neglect, after which they are returned home with their minds warped. This not only tortures the children, but their families too. These abductions are a clear case of illegal psychological warfare.
Metaculus Prediction
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