Witness Tells US Senate That Russian-Abducted Ukrainian Children Were Sent To North Korea’s Songdowon Camp

US Senate Hearing: Testimony on Forced Transfers of Ukrainian Children

A Ukrainian legal expert told the US Senate that children abducted by Russian forces have been forcibly transferred to a summer camp in North Korea. Kateryna Rashevska, a representative of Ukraine's regional centre for human rights, said at least two girls — identified as Misha, 12, and Liza, 16 — were sent to the Songdowon children’s camp in Wonsan.

Rashevska testified that the girls were exposed to hostile propaganda, including material urging hostility toward Japan, were taught to "destroy Japanese militarists," and met North Korean veterans who were involved in the attack on the US Navy ship Pueblo. Her remarks opened a Senate hearing on what she described as Russia's mass abduction of Ukrainian children since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Scale And Methods

Rashevska said at least 19,546 Ukrainian children are believed to have been taken from territory under Russian control and moved into Russia or Russian-controlled areas since February 2022. According to her organisation, many are sent to so-called re-education sites where they are "militarised and Russified." The centre has identified at least 165 such camps.

The Songdowon camp in Wonsan reportedly hosts roughly 400 children each year and offers recreational facilities such as a water park, a football pitch and a private beach. Russia is among a small group of countries permitted to send children there; former attendees have said they mixed with youngsters from countries including Laos, Nigeria, Tanzania and China.

Return Efforts And Diplomacy

President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this week that only 1,859 of the abducted Ukrainian children have been returned to Kyiv so far. Kyiv has made the return of stolen children a central demand in peace negotiations that the United States has helped mediate. Talks involving US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, and Ukraine's lead negotiator Rustem Umerov, were scheduled to continue.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, preparing to visit India, urged Europe to engage in negotiations while accusing Ukraine's allies of impeding US-led efforts. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev warned that Moscow could treat the seizure of frozen Russian assets as a casus belli, a statement that increased tensions with Europe.

Context: Continued Fighting And Regional Incidents

Despite diplomatic moves, Russian forces continued strikes across Ukraine. Overnight drone attacks struck an energy facility in Odesa, injuring six people and trapping two inside a building. A ballistic missile struck Kryvyi Rih, President Zelensky's hometown, wounding six, including a six-year-old girl.

Separately, the Romanian military reported destroying a maritime drone — identified as a Sea Baby — 36 nautical miles east of Constanta after it posed a navigational hazard. Concerns about Black Sea shipping safety following attacks on tankers have driven up insurance rates on a vital export corridor for grain, oil and fuel.

Turkey has expressed concern about maritime incidents in the Black Sea and has discussed the situation with allies and partners. Putin's planned visit to India will be his first to that country since the invasion; he is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and be accompanied by executives from Russian oil companies.

What Remains Unclear

Some details reported in earlier briefings were inconsistent or misstated. Where possible, this account clarifies or omits unclear attributions while retaining verified claims and direct testimony from human rights representatives.

Sources and verification: Testimony summarized from Kateryna Rashevska's presentation to the US Senate and related public statements by Ukrainian and international officials. Figures cited are those reported by Rashevska and Ukrainian authorities during public testimony and briefings.