The U.S. State Department on Thursday imposed sanctions on 13 people and entities it said are reportedly connected to the forced deportation and transfer of Ukraine's children, as Washington ramps up pressure on Moscow over its invasion.
The United States is also taking steps to impose visa restrictions on three Russia-installed purported authorities over their involvement in human rights abuses of Ukrainian minors, the State Department said in a statement.
"The United States will not stand by as Russia carries out these war crimes and crimes against humanity," U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine on Thursday.
Ukraine's government estimates that Russian authorities have deported and/or forcibly displaced over 19,500 children from their homes since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Among those hit with sanctions on Thursday was Artek, which the State Department said is a Russian government-owned "'summer camp' located in Russia-occupied Crimea."
The State Department said Artek has received Ukrainian children who are then placed in "'patriotic' re-education programs" and are prevented from returning to their families.
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