Ukrainian kids. Ukraine's United Nations ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya said most had been taken from the besieged city of Mariupol to Taganrog - 70 miles away in Russia.
An intelligence source said the aim was to have the Ukrainian youngsters adopted into Russian families.The source added: "They have effectively been stolen in the same way Russian soldiers have looted homes for TVs and air conditioners to mail home to their families."Putin has reportedly accelerated adoption procedures for orphans - and even those who have parents and other relatives.The UN's children's agency said 4.8million of Ukraine's 7.5m youngsters had left their homes since the invasion six weeks ago.Unicef's emergency programs director Manuel Fontaine told the UN Security Council the displacement of two-thirds of the country's child population was "quite incredible".
He said he had heard reports that children had been taken to Russia but added: "We don't have yet the access that we need to have to be able to look and verify and see if we can assist." Of the displaced children, 2.8m were still in Ukraine and 2m in other countries, Mr Fontaine said.
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