US restores funding for Yale's probe into child deportations

    
• The U.S. State Department has restored the grant for the team from Yale University, which is documenting the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.
• The grant was restored for six weeks, allowing researchers to hand over the gathered evidence to Europol.
• The decision to restore the grant resulted from lobbying by Democrats, some Republicans, and church activists.

Originally, the funding contract for the team was cancelled as part of trimming unnecessary expenses, an initiative by Elon Musk’s DOGE team. However, after lobbying from Democrats, some Republicans, and evangelical activists, the decision was changed.

Thanks to the restored grant, the research team from Yale University's Conflict Observatory will be able to hand over the gathered evidence to Europol. The researchers have determined the identity and location of thousands of Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russians. Their work also supports other investigations concerning Russian war crimes, including the International Criminal Court's allegations against Vladimir Putin. After the contract with the State Department ends, the researchers hope that European countries will provide financial support.

The mass deportation of Ukrainian children and their Russification is one of the key topics in negotiations to end the war. The United States, after talks with the Ukrainian delegation in Riyadh, committed to helping Ukraine in the return of children to the country. The decision to restore the grant for the Yale team is a significant step in documenting these actions and supporting Ukraine in its efforts to recover the children.