(1)

The Russian Federation's aggression in Ukraine has targeted innocent civilians, including children.

(2)

The Government of Ukraine estimates that at least 648 Ukrainian children have been killed and at least 2,047 Ukrainian children have been wounded since the start of President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

(3)

The Government of Ukraine estimates that the Russian Federation has kidnapped, deported, or displaced at least 19,546 Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation, Russian-occupied territories, and other locations since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and continues to practice such illegal and inhumane actions.

(4)

The Russian Federation has kidnapped, deported, or displaced Ukrainian children as young as a few months to 17 years of age according to reliable reports.

(5)

President Putin’s regime seeks the Russification of Ukrainian children through kidnapping, deportation, or displacement to destroy their Ukrainian identity.

(6)

Many of these Ukrainian children are forced into re-education camps or youth paramilitary organizations in the Russian Federation and other locations, with the intent of training them for future deployment as service members in the Russian Armed Forces.

(7)

In November 2024, the United Kingdom stated that the Government of the Russian Federation seeks to accomplish Russification by expos[ing] Ukrainian children to a curriculum that rewrites Russian and Ukrainian history, glorifies Russian military actions, promotes allegiance to Russia, and in some cases involves military training.

(8)

Ukraine has made efforts to repatriate these kidnapped and deported children, including during the peace talks that occurred in Istanbul, Turkey in June 2025, where Ukraine presented the Russian delegation with a list of 339 names of kidnapped children to return home.

(9)

In response to the proposal put forth by Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkey, the Russian delegation, led by Vladimir Medinsky, stated that these children were rescued by Russian soldiers and dismissed the request.

(10)

United States law authorizes the designation of countries as state sponsors of terrorism if they have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.

(11)

Section 2331(1) of title 18, United States Code, defines international terrorism as activities that—

(A)

involve violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, or that would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States or of any State;

(B)

appear to be intended—

(i)

to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;

(ii)

to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or

(iii)

to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and

(C)

occur primarily outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or transcend national boundaries in terms of the means by which they are accomplished, the persons they appear intended to intimidate or coerce, or the locale in which their perpetrators operate or seek asylum;

(12)

At the direction of President Putin, the Government of the Russian Federation has promoted, and continues to promote, these acts of international terrorism, including the kidnapping of Ukrainian children, which would constitute a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States.

(13)

During the 117th Congress, the Senate unanimously adopted—

(14)

The United States continues to have a range of tools available to hold the Russian Federation accountable for these egregious actions.

(a) Certification

Not later than 60 days after the effective date of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to Congress that certifies whether—

(b) Designation

If the Secretary of State cannot certify the actions described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsections (a) have occurred, the Secretary shall immediately designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism pursuant to—

(1)

the Government of the Russian Federation—

(2)

all of the children kidnapped, deported, or forcibly transferred from Ukrainian territory or temporarily occupied Ukrainian territory since the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 have been reunited with their families and guardians in a secure environment; and

(3)

the process of full reintegration of such children into Ukrainian society is underway.