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U.S. Halts Funding for Team Tracking Ukrainian Children Abducted by Russia

The Yale-based team, instrumental in locating abducted children, loses support under Elon Musk's federal budget cuts through the Department of Government Efficiency.

White House Senior Advisor Elon Musk walks to the White House after landing in Marine One on the South Lawn with U.S. President Donald Trump on March 9, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Image
Ukrainian children sit next to Russia’s presidential commissioner for children’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, before their departure to Ukraine in February last year (Photo: Alexander Nemenov/AFP)
The UK may be asked to step in to help restart a unit that finds Ukrainian children stolen by Russia (Photo: Justin Tallis/Getty Images)

Overview

  • The Yale Humanitarian Research Lab, which used open-source technology to track abducted Ukrainian children, has had its U.S. government funding paused under budget cuts led by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
  • Russia has reportedly abducted over 20,000 Ukrainian children since 2022, with many subjected to forced deportation, indoctrination, and placement in Russian families, actions deemed war crimes by the ICC.
  • The lab's work has been crucial in locating and repatriating over 1,240 children in collaboration with Ukrainian authorities and initiatives like Bring Kids Back UA.
  • The funding cut raises concerns about the U.S.'s shifting stance on Ukraine under the Trump administration, potentially straining U.S.-Ukraine relations and hindering efforts to reunite families.
  • The U.K. and NATO allies are being urged to fill the funding gap as calls grow for the U.S. to reconsider its decision, with advocates warning of dire humanitarian consequences.