Russians formalize the "adoption" of Ukrainian children as "temporary custody," Daria Herasymchuk, adviser-commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children's Rights and Child Rehabilitation, said in an exclusive interview with Interfax–Ukraine.

"Russians are cunning, they understand that adoption is illegal. As well as the placement of children in family forms of education, but they call it ‘temporary guardianship.’ And, although they publicly declare – ‘we adopted’ or ‘gave up for adoption,’ but in fact, according to the documents, this is temporary custody," she said.

According to her, Ukraine managed to return several "temporarily protected" children.

"As for the cases of the return of already "adopted" in the Russian Federation – yes, we succeeded," she said.

Herasymchuk explained that the Russians "forcibly collect documents from parents that they give the child to the camp for three weeks. Then the Russians undertake to return them. The child is taken to the camp. Of course, no one then returns the child back."

"Children are taken to camps for six months – from camp to camp, from camp to camp. After six months, they consider such children as those left without parental care. Allegedly, no one came and took it away. And then they are sent to family forms of education, and they do not openly declare this to children. That's all. That is, they use all sorts of schemes to deprive children of their biological families," she said.

"Russians have a clear genocidal policy. They aim either to destroy a Ukrainian child here, or to replenish their nation at the expense of the children they kidnap. Two goals. That’s it," Herasymchuk stressed.