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.