Tomás Ó Flatharta

Report of Public Meeting : Solidarity With the People of Ukraine – Bring the Stolen Children Home

Irish Left With Ukraine (ILWU) held a very fruitful meeting on Tuesday 24 March 2026 in the Teachers Club. Interesting insights were shared. The discussion showed us all the hope that if you take action, you can make a difference.

We thank Alex Yurov, Aishe Kurtamet (Crimean refugee and mother of her abducted son Appaz), Catriona Crowe (Archivist and Historian), Sandra Corrigan (INTO Global Solidarity Officer) and Ruth O’ Dea (Labour Party) for their contributions.

Alex Yurov reviewed the situation in Donetsk from 2014, when Russia invaded that part of Ukraine. He gave us details of systematic removal and “re‑education” of children into Russian territory.

Aishe Kurtamet told the story of her son Appaz who was abducted in Crimea.

Aishe gave a sustained account of her son Appaz’s 2023 abduction from Kherson, alleging transfer to occupied Crimea, detention, forced collaboration offers, torture, and imprisonment in multiple Russian facilities; she also reported her son’s father was later abducted, tortured, and sentenced.

Link to information about the plight of Appaz Kurtamet :

Appaz Kurtamet, Aishe Kurtamet

Sandra Corrigan, Global Solidarity Officer of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, described international solidarity work for teachers and children, including a solidarity fund, emergency supplies, trauma support, and advocacy that helped secure teacher salary increases for 2025–2026. Ukrainian teacher union reports emphasised the prolonged conflict and an education crisis.

Catriona Crowe described the fascist and genocidal nature of the war Russia is waging in Ukraine – one proof of that description is the systematic kidnapping and disappearing of children in zones of occupation. She drew our attention to the awful history of child abuse in Ireland’s Mother and Baby homes.

She highlighted the international attention shift away from Ukraine to other conflicts, such as Iran, and the need for continued support.

She emphasized the importance of providing Ukraine with adequate weaponry to resist Russian aggression.

She discussed the broader context of the war, including the unprovoked invasion by Russia and the significant casualties on both sides. war on Ukrainian children, including the kidnapping and indoctrination by Russian authorities.

---

Catriona Crowe’s Speech :

UKRAINE STOLEN CHILDREN

Ukraine is now in the fifth year of its war with Russia, an unprovoked invasion of a sovereign state based on Vladimir Putin’s desire to reconstitute the Russian Empire. It is estimated that casualties for both sides (killed, wounded and missing) will amount to 2 million sometime this year. Casualties are breaking down at a ratio of 2-2.5 to 1, with Russia suffering the largest proportion, according to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

Because of the dangerous and stupid antics of Donald Trump, international attention has shifted away from Ukraine to the war in Iran, and Ukraine’s valiant and highly skilled resistance to Russia is struggling without adequate weaponry to keep their amazing advantage over ill-trained and demoralised Russian troops. It is really important that the spotlight be kept on their needs, and that Europe finds a way to circumvent the despicable Putin lackey, Victor Orban, in order to give Ukraine the resources it needs to win, now that Trump has abandoned people who are fighting an existential war for their own survival and the survival of eastern Europe.

Because of the dangerous and stupid antics of Donald Trump, international attention has shifted away from Ukraine to the war in Iran, and Ukraine’s valiant and highly skilled resistance to Russia is struggling without adequate weaponry to keep their amazing advantage over ill-trained and demoralised Russian troops. It is really important that the spotlight be kept on their needs, and that Europe finds a way to circumvent the despicable Putin lackey, Victor Orban, in order to give Ukraine the resources it needs to win, now that Trump has abandoned people who are fighting an existential war for their own survival and the survival of eastern Europe.

Catriona Crowe

As well as the horrors of the front line, the loss of many thousands of young men, the indiscriminate killing of civilians, the destruction of infrastructure and the family displacement of millions of people, there is another insidious aspect to Russia’s appalling prosecution of this illegal war: the kidnapping of Ukrainian children and their removal to Russia, where they can be adopted by Russian families.

I’m sure most of you saw the TV documentary, Putin’s Stolen Children, which aired in December last year. It focuses on the kidnapping of children from the Kherson Children’s Home, shortly after the Russian occupation of the city in February 2022. It was liberated in November of that year, and intrepid investigators, Victoria and Maria, set about trying to find the children, all under the age of five.

The first child they sought was Viktor, aged 2, who was in the children’s home because he had a serious swallowing problem, and was being cared for prior to having an operation. Victoria visited his mother, Olha, and showed her video of Viktor being put into a Russian bus en route to his new so-called home. She wept, of course. There is a lot of weeping in this film.

The Russian authorities, meanwhile, had been making up fantastic lies about the disappeared children; that they were to be sold by the Ukrainians to European traffickers to exploit their organs. This rubbish was broadcast with much fake outrage on Russian TV, a cesspool of lies and justification for Putin’s atrocities.

Through brilliant detective work, Victoria tracked Viktor to an institution in Crimea. Because his mother was alive (some of the children were orphans), there was a chance that if Olha came in person to Crimea, he could be given back to her. Olha’s sister, Ludmilla, agreed to go with her, despite them both being terrified of how they might be treated by the Russians, and at the end of the movie, we see little Viktor arrive with his mother and his aunt at the border crossing, to be re-united with his father and his sister, and to meet Victoria. That was a moment for weeping, this time for joy.

None of the other children had been returned by the time of broadcast: Nastya, 4, whom we saw on video doing a brilliant imitation of Santa Clause delivering gifts or Ilya, 2, and Margarita, 10 months, who were adopted by high-ranking officials in the Putin regime. 45 of the 46 children stolen from the Kherson Children’s Home remain in Russia.

Bohdan, a 16-year old from Mariupol, saw his best friend killed in front of him by a shell in that city, and was scooped up, taken to Moscow and fostered with a family there. He managed to make phone video contact with his friend Vanya, with investigator Maria, and with a Lithuanian lawyer who tried to help him. He made two attempts to escape, both unsuccessful. He was used, disgracefully, in a Russian propaganda tv ad where he was made to say he wanted to stay in Russia and the Ukrainian army had threatened his relatives. It was made clear to him that when he was 18, he would be conscripted into the army to fight his own countrymen. As the date approached, his lawyer decided to go public, and she and Bohdan recorded a message to President Zelensky asking for him to be brought home. Bohdan’s bravery in publicly telling the truth miraculously achieved his release. After almost 700 days in Russia, he arrived back and was reunited with his friends. More joyful weeping.

Ireland has its own terrible history of family separation and forced adoption from mother and baby homes, which we still have not come to terms with. I wonder if it had been an invading power, rather than an unholy alliance of Church, State and family, carrying out these crimes, would the population have remained so sanguine in the face of effective kidnapping of small children, many never seen by their mothers again?

Ukraine has yet again demonstrated its essential humanity in its dogged pursuit of these children, many of whom are orphaned, like Bohdan. Their lack of parental support does not in any way diminish their importance to those who search for them. They are Ukrainian children, and they belong in their home.

At the time the documentary I have been describing was broadcast, 21,000 children had been kidnapped by Russian forces. Illegal deportation and forced migration are war crimes. Is it too much to hope that some day, Vladimir Putin and his minions will stand in The Hague and be prosecuted for these and so many more war crimes? Viktor, Bohdan, Ilya, Margarita and Nastya deserve no less.

The work done by groups like this, and the wonderful people who protest daily outside the Russian Embassy, is so important in keeping attention on the fascist invasion of Ukraine. If anyone on the left has lingering misplaced affection for Vladimir Putin, although it is really hard to imagine how that could be the case, now is the time to look squarely at stories like these, and to remember that Irish people fought fascism in Spain in 1937, and in Britain in 1940. Let us not abandon our comrades in Ukraine, who are fighting for all of us.

---

Dmytro Raisky Director of Strategic Communications and Government Affairs, PR Army cited at least 20,000 officially identified child abductions and noted media advocacy and international testimony efforts.

The meeting included broader discussion of Ukraine’s war, casualty estimates, and the systematic kidnapping of Ukrainian children described in a documentary

INTO maintains an active solidarity fund and supports global citizenship education in Irish schools

INTO has been particularly active supporting Ukraine since 2022 with admissions, webinars, materials and submissions

Alex of Ukrainian Action Ireland agreed to speak at the next meeting on solidarity with Ukraine

Ruth O’Dea spoke on behalf of the Labour Party.

Labour frames the detention of Ukrainians in Russia as a violation of international law and will seek governmental and EU challenge

The Labour Party will continue to ask parliamentary questions on APAS and related detainee issues

Ivana Bacik (Labour Party leader) has already submitted parliamentary questions on APAS and the Labour Party will continue to press uncomfortable questions

The Labour MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin supported EU loan assistance to Ukraine and party members advocate using sanctioned Russian assets for reconstruction

The party emphasised Ireland’s role in welcoming Ukrainian refugees and opposed diluting supports through the ARP.

Joanna Tuffy (Labour Party Councillor) asked whether the group can use diplomatic channels to check on specific detainees, noting official replies may be vague or non-substantive.

Are there channels the group can use to pursue diplomatic inquiries or find out how a specific detainee is doing?

Dmytro Raisky Director of Strategic Communications and Government Affairs, PR Army will travel to Stockholm to provide testimony.

Dmytro cited media publications, documentaries, and parliamentary advocacy as effective tools and is travelling to Stockholm to testify.

Dmytro also reported that at least 20,000 children officially identified as abducted and warned the true number is likely higher, including transfers to third countries and Russian resettlement policies.

The PR Army will continue to use media publications and documentaries to raise scrutiny of Russian detainee and child-abduction policies.

=================================================

We are delighted to announce our speakers for our next meeting on

Tuesday April 21, Teachers Club, 7.30pm 

Trade Union and Community Solidarity with Ukraine

Speakers :

Sinéad Gibney TD (Dublin Rathdown) -Social DemocratsAnatoliy Primakov- founder of Ukrainian Action IrelandMick Antoniw – Welsh Assembly member and founder of British Ukraine Solidarity CampaignKevin Donoghue, FÓRSA Trade Union Campaigns Officer Chairperson :Nóirín Greene, Former Executive Member, Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU)

===============================================

Irish Left With Ukraine wants to shape a discussion to strengthen solidarity with ordinary Ukrainian people.

Sandra Corrigan explained the role of trade unions in building solidarity. Not only have international teaching unions supported the organisation capacity of Ukrainian teacher unions, they assisted their campaign for improved teacher conditions. This is vitally important in the challenging conditions, in which teachers work.  Since 2022, Russia has damaged 4,000 education institutes.

The war against Ukraine is genocidal in intent. This is evidenced by the contributions of Alex and Aishe, who are from Donetsk and Crimea and spoke of what has happened in occupied areas. Adults are threatened and stripped of citizenship, while children are indoctrinated and Russia tries to condition children to deny their Ukrainian status. Tens of thousands of children have been abducted, while 2 million have been displaced.

We want to strengthen solidarity from Ireland to work towards a lasting and just peace in Ukraine. We will support and advocate with Aishe for her son’s release. We are engaging with Ukrainian community in Ireland to understand their situation and will work to support them.

The government is trying to reduce supports for Ukrainians. The ARP scheme has been a cost saver and a great civic initiative recognising the contribution of Irish households in hosting over 20,000 refugees.At the April 21 meeting, we will get a perspective of the situation for Ukrainians in Ireland, reports on what is going on in Ukraine at the moment on the ground, and hopefully get more ideas of how we can build solidarity between Ireland and Ukraine.There is a role for our politicians, our unions and ordinary people in developing this work, and we call on you to join us and work to make a difference.

John Meehan April 4 2026