Canada has sanctioned eight people over Russia's deportation of Ukrainian children and their indoctrination and militarization, Ukrinform reported on 11 September. It is the second Canadian package this year built around the removal of children from occupied areas. The measure surfaced during Ukraine's presidential visit to Canada, at a moment when Kyiv's own register counts far more children taken than brought home.

Eight names, and what Ottawa says they did

Canada's foreign ministry says all eight took part, now or earlier, in unlawfully deporting and transferring Ukrainian children, and in subjecting them to indoctrination and militarization. The department published the eight names without setting out the posts they hold. Its own register dates the listing's entry into force to 4 September.

The listing is an administrative measure, not a criminal charge. In most cases, people in Canada and Canadians abroad may not deal in a listed person's property or provide them financial services. Breaking those rules is a criminal offense, investigated by the border agency and the federal police.

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Canada's Ukraine-related listings cover more than 3,500 individuals and entities across its Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova regulations. Its separate ship list reached 731 vessels in June, listed for shadow-fleet work moving sanctioned Russian oil, gas, and arms. The previous expansion, in August, hit a manufacturer of armored vehicles.

Thousands of children taken, about 2,000 home

Russia has deported or displaced 20,651 Ukrainian children since February 2022, and Ukraine has brought just over 2,000 of them home through the Bring Kids Back UA initiative. Officials believe the real figure is far higher.

Russian authorities have moved groups of Ukrainian teenagers through military-patriotic camps, occupation schools, and youth movements in occupied areas and inside Russia, and Ukraine has named the people running that work.