Russia says it has been 'saving' children from Ukraine, not stealing them, despite widespread evidence of abductions

• A Russian official said his country is "saving" children that it takes from Ukraine, not "stealing" them.
• The deputy ambassador to the UN denied Russia was committing war crimes.
• He said it was "another smear, a campaign against Russia."

A top Russian official denied that his country was "stealing children" from Ukraine, and said instead that it was "saving" them, despite widespread evidence that Russia has deported Ukrainian children against their families' wishes.

Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia's deputy ambassador to the UN, was interviewed by Sky News journalist Mark Austin, who asked Polyanskiy about Ukrainian children being taken to Russia.

"Russia is not denying that you are transporting children in their thousands from Ukraine into Russia. Do you accept that it is a war crime?" Austin asked.