PACE decision will help bring Russia and Putin to justice for genocide - Zelenskyy

Volodymyr Zelenskyy made the statement in his evening video address on April 27.

"Today, there was an important political result in Strasbourg at the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. A resolution was adopted recognizing that Russia's deportation of Ukrainian children has evidence of genocide. This is the first recognition of this fact at the level of such a high international organization uniting the states of our continent.

Practically speaking, this decision will significantly help our global efforts to bring Russia and its officials, including the head of the terrorist state, to justice for genocide and genocidal policies against Ukraine.

The deportation of Ukrainian children is one of the fully premeditated elements of Russia's attempt to erase the identity of our people, to destroy the very essence of Ukrainians. This is a deliberate crime of genocide committed by Russian officials. This is how it should be qualified both politically and legally," the statement reads.

Zelenskyy noted that his wife, Olena Zelenska, had addressed the PACE that day specifically on children and families. Ukrainian parliamentarians and diplomats also "have done a good job," the president said.

"And at all levels - formal and informal, with leaders of states, at the parliamentary, governmental, law enforcement levels, in the legal community and in international and inter-parliamentary organizations - we will keep working for the return of all deported Ukrainian children and for the punishment of Russia. 

We know for sure the data of almost 20 thousand children who were taken away and dispersed to different regions of the evil state. But it is obvious that this is only a part of much larger criminal actions. There may be many more such children," the President said.

President Zelenskyy added that Europe and the world have already seen various deportations and attempts to destroy peoples, but the example of Russia should "show all other potential sources of the same evil that there will never be impunity."

"There will be sentences for genocide. Just as for all other crimes committed by Russia against Ukraine and our people," the Ukrainian leader believes.

• On April 27, PACE adopted a resolution on the forced deportation of Ukrainian children and adults to Russia, recognizing such actions as genocide.

• Earlier, on March 17, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin and Russian Children's Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova in the case of deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.