Your comrade just made an assumption that the Russians are merely looking after children who have lost their parents, as if they're playing the generous role of social services.

From the linked article:

In February, a report from Yale University found that since the start of the war, children as young as four months living in occupied areas had been taken to 43 camps across Russia, including in annexed Crimea and Siberia, for “pro-Russia patriotic and military-related education”.

In at least two of the camps, the children’s return date was delayed by weeks, while at two other camps, the return of some children was postponed indefinitely.

Videos published from the camps by the occupying regional authorities show children singing the Russian national anthem and carrying the Russian flag. In separate videos, teachers talk about the need to correct their understanding of Russian and Soviet history.

Simmons said: “All of it adds up to a story which is utterly horrendous. It’s horrendous on every conceivable level.

Ukrainian mothers trying to their their kids back.

UN report on kidnappings

https://www.google.com/amp/s/fortune.com/2023/07/07/why-is-russia-kidnapping-ukrainian-children-vladimir-putin-soviet-book-author/amp/

They literally took this girl, gave her a Russian passport and claimed her as an orphan.

The absolute fuck are you guys coming to the defence of Russia for?

[–] commiewithoutorgans@hexbear.net 8 points 1 year ago

Still literally none of that goes against what was said. There's s war, and when that happens and territory changes hands, there's always this problem (or the military let's the children just run around with parents gone and get themselves hurt). It's not unique and it's not something you have a better idea for. Its why we stand for bringing and end to wars generally while you stand for ending Russia (where the next war will just come at the next eastern border where this whole cycle will repeat). Can you not see how areas which have become Russian through referendum will have issues of parents being gone and wanting children back, but Russia can't just send em randomly across a border. They've gotta have checks for the parenthood and that the children are not also claimed by another parent that stayed (a case which often happens with divorces, and complicates it). All while trying to work with a government that very obviously is not willing to work with you. All the articles fit this narrative also, just with spin on top using specific wording and leaving out details.