US deletes evidence of Russia's child abductions in Ukraine

An investigation by Yale University revealed significant challenges in the effort to rescue thousands of children kidnapped from Ukraine to Russia. The U.S. State Department recently deleted crucial evidence related to these abductions, which were calculated to involve up to 35,000 children. Researchers at Yale had been documenting alleged Russian war crimes, including the abductions, using satellite imagery and other surveillance tools provided by the U.S. The deletion of evidence occurred after funding for the Yale project was cut by the Trump administration. A source from Yale believes this deletion could have serious legal implications, as it poses risks related to international laws against destroying evidence of war crimes. With this deletion, researchers can no longer share critical data with the European Union, which is also examining the issue through EUROPOL. This hampers Ukraine's efforts to bring the children back home. The Yale team collaborates with SaveUkraine, a charity that has successfully repatriated 610 Ukrainian children so far. Former President Trump recently discussed Ukraine with President Putin, maintaining a pro-Russian stance and criticizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. President Zelensky is focusing on securing the return of Ukrainian children from Russia during peace negotiations. Historically, Russia has annexed parts of Ukraine and engaged in practices that suppress Ukrainian identity, such as erasing the language from schools. These actions echo past atrocities, including the Holodomor, which led to the deaths of millions of Ukrainians. Key documents about the abductions were reportedly stored in a secure CIA-associated database, which has now been rendered inaccessible. Experts noted that under U.S. law, it is a war crime to destroy evidence of war crimes. The U.S. State Department has not yet provided a response to the situation.