Watch CBS News Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told CBS News in an exclusive interview that his government has evidence that Russia is abducting Ukrainian children and training them to fight against fellow Ukrainians.It is an allegation that may constitute a war crime, according to the International Criminal Court. This is the first time that Zelenskyy has publicly made this accusation, which goes beyond the documented evidence that Russia has a state-sponsored program of taking Ukrainian children to camps for reeducation or "Russification.""When these children grow up and they push these boys to the battlefield," Zelenskyy said.Zelenskyy said "yes have evidence of it," but he did not detail what the evidence his government has. "Yes, and they taught these children to hate their native country, to hate native people," Zelenskyy said. "And Ukrainians, can you imagine, such young Ukrainians, young boys, come to the battlefield and kill Ukrainians." The International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Vladimir Putin's arrest in 2023 due to what it referred to as a program of "unlawful deportation of population (children)." The Kremlin called it a humanitarian effort to care for war orphans, and has broadcast images of Putin and the ICC-indicted program head Maria Lvova-Belova embracing some of the kids.In an exclusive interview with Margaret Brennan that aired Sunday on "Face the Nation," Zelenskyy emphasized that Russia…
Published: May 31, 2026 4:43 pm
Source: CBS News — Read original