The parliamentary commission intends to draw the world’s attention to these crimes.
The parliamentary commission established to investigate the Kiev regime’s criminal activities towards underage children held its first meeting. It was co-chaired by Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Galina Karelova and Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Anna Kuznetsova.
Galina Karelova stressed that the Federation Council could not avoid investigating the military crimes committed with regard to underage children; the commission’s activities will make an important contribution to the Federation Council’s effort to protect the family and children. “It is necessary to show the world the horror of Nazism and how the Kiev regime is trampling underfoot all international principles.”
According to Galina Karelova, the UN has acknowledged 212 cases of the Ukrainian military attacking schools and hospitals, but it is clear that such crimes are much more numerous.
The Senator said there is irrefutable evidence from the Donetsk People’s Republic. “The figures are appalling, while the facts show that the representatives of Ukraine were acting with unprecedented cruelty and cynicism.” There are numerous facts on record where the Kiev regime blocked the green corridors and used civilians as human shields.
Galina Karelova put a special emphasis on the fact that Russia had done all it could to evacuate children from the risk zone. “About 5 million people, including 730,000 children accompanied by their parents, were evacuated from Donbass. The evacuees included nearly 2,000 children from social institutions. Today, they are safe.”
She reminded her audience that the Donetsk People’s Republic had declared June 27 the Day of Remembrance of Child Victims of the War in Donbass. “The killing of children should not be hushed up and condemned to oblivion. This is our duty to the dead and injured children and their families.”
The Deputy Speaker called for analysing the criminal actions from the point of view of international law and give them an assessment. She also said that it was necessary to inform international organisations and the UN about the results of the parliamentary investigation and to make this information available to all countries.
Ms Karelova noted that the Federation Council was rendering legislative support to the new regions. There is a Federation Council commission charged with integrating these regions into Russia’s legal system. “The Senators have joined the effort to help refugees since the first day of the special military operation.”
She explained how the Russian regions were receiving children from the zone of hostilities for rest, recreation and rehabilitation. “This concerns in full measure not only children from the new constituent entities of Russia but also those from the Belgorod, Kursk and Bryansk regions that have been exposed to the Kiev regime’s terrorist artillery attacks.”
Anna Kuznetsova reminded those present that the parliamentary commission had been created in connection with the need to protect the constitutional rights and freedoms of underage children and that its aim was to reveal the causes and circumstances of the crimes, to inform the public about them, and to facilitate prevention. According to the Deputy Speaker of the State Duma, the parliamentarians should primarily assist in institutional transformation.
Yet another problem to be tackled by the commission is the inaction of international institutions in the matter of providing a due assessment of the crimes committed by the Kiev regime, Anna Kuznetsova said.
She stressed that the world was witnessing the horrible actions perpetrated by the Kiev regime and their consequences, such as the death and suffering of tens of thousands of people, including children. “Our task is to investigate those crimes. We think it important to start the work by analysing the information provided by the eyewitnesses of the Kiev regime’s crimes and by representatives of our regions where children were hit the hardest.”
According to Ms Kuznetsova, after these data are collected, it is necessary to have the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Investigative Committee of Russia, and other related ministries and agencies provide their expert assessment.
Adviser to the Head of the Lugansk People’s Republic Anna Soroka and Chairperson of the Committee on Criminal and Administrative Legislation of the People's Council of the Donetsk People’s Republic Yelena Shishkina told the commission about the materials related to the parliamentary investigation.
Parliamentary commission meeting attendees approved the Regulations and the Plan of Action and formed working groups. The working group tasked with collecting materials and facts on the Kiev regime’s criminal activities towards minors is headed by Chair of the Federation Council Committee on House Rules and Parliamentary Governance Vyacheslav Timchenko; the working group on the international legal assessment of the Kiev regime’s violations of the rights and freedoms of underage children is headed by Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Grigory Karasin; Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture Lilia Gumerova heads the working group on improving the protective mechanisms against encroachments on underage children’s rights and freedoms by foreign states; and Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Social Policy Inna Svyatenko heads the working group on improving measures of social support and rehabilitation for underage children victimised by the Kiev regime.
The commission meetings will be held at least once a month with various events organised by the working groups in between. The commission has been established for one year.
Following the meeting, Galina Karelova stressed that the commission enjoyed strong support among the public. “Many civil society organisations, women’s organisations, and human rights associations are ready to help us.”
The Federation Council as a chamber of the regions will provide full reports on the commission’s work to the constituent entities of Russia, to legislatures, and the executive authorities. “In helping Donbass, practically all regions see the destroyed schools, hospitals and other social institutions. They will help us collect information.”
She added that the parliamentarians intended to draft proposals, based on the commission’s performance, on how to improve legislation related to social support for the children who have suffered at the hands of the Kiev regime.
The commission’s next meeting will take place at the Federation Council in late July.