US deletes evidence of Ukrainian children's abductions

Researchers at Yale University have reported that the US State Department has deleted key evidence related to the kidnapping of thousands of Ukrainian children by Russia. This information was part of a project documenting alleged Russian war crimes, including the abduction of up to 35,000 children from occupied Ukrainian regions. The project, supported by satellite imagery and other tools from the US government, was working on tracking these kidnappings and monitoring 116 sites in Russia. A source from Yale stated that the deletion of this data could harm efforts to rescue the children and hold those responsible, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, accountable. The evidence deletion raises concerns about potential legal liability for the Trump administration, particularly concerning international laws against destroying evidence of war crimes. Researchers at Yale, who collaborate with the charity SaveUkraine, have focused on returning Ukrainian children home, having successfully repatriated 610 so far. Amid these developments, Trump has maintained a pro-Russian stance regarding Ukraine and recently discussed the country's future with Putin. The return of Ukrainian children is a significant issue in ongoing negotiations involving Ukraine, the US, and Russia. Yale's project has been instrumental in producing reports on Ukraine and contributing to indictments against Russian officials at the International Criminal Court. Both Putin and his children's rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova face international arrest warrants for unlawfully deporting children from Ukraine. The situation highlights a broader pattern of alleged Russian war crimes, including forced annexations of Ukrainian territories and the suppression of Ukrainian culture. Yale sources indicated that the evidence they collected was held in a secure database, and they emphasized that US federal law prohibits the destruction of evidence related to war crimes. The US State Department has not yet responded to requests for comments on this matter.