As Russian troops pushed into Ukraine, children who were fleeing newly occupied territories were swept up. Many became part of a Russian effort to portray itself as a charitable savior. 

The children were placed in Russian families and paraded on television. The Times interviewed one child who was taken from Ukraine, a girl named Anya, who said she ached to return.

Guest: Emma Bubola, a reporter for The New York Times based in London.

Background reading: 

• Using adoptions, Russia has turned Ukrainian children into spoils of war.
• The mayor of a Ukrainian city disappeared, but questions about his loyalty did not.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.