Ukraine greenlights forced child evacuations from frontline zones

Ukraine’s parliament (Verkhovna Rada) has voted to allow the forced evacuation of children from areas of active hostilities without parental consent.

Under the adopted measure, decisions to declare mandatory evacuation will be made by military administrations upon written request from military command and in coordination with the relevant coordination headquarters, Caliber.Az reports via Ukrainian media.

If parents refuse to evacuate their children, a police officer will carry out the evacuation without their consent. The officer is then required to transfer the child to the custody of the child welfare authorities.

International humanitarian law prohibits the deportation or forcible transfer of civilians during armed conflict unless strictly required for their safety; parties must also safeguard family unity and ensure proper protection of displaced populations under the Geneva Conventions and related principles.

The Council of Europe and human-rights bodies have condemned systematic transfers of Ukrainian children from occupied territory to Russia, urging Moscow to identify, list and reunite these children with families, and to repeal domestic measures facilitating such moves, which are not considered lawful “evacuations” under international law.

By Jeyhun Aghazada