Researchers have discovered over 200 Russian institutions for the “re-education” of Ukrainian children

Russia has established an unprecedentedly large-scale system of institutions for the re-education of abducted Ukrainian children. Researchers have identified at least 210 such institutions in the Russian Federation and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine — although this number is not final and may be higher.

This is stated in a report by the Humanities Research Laboratory at the Yale School of Public Health.

These locations include: cadet schools, military bases, medical facilities, monasteries, educational institutions, hotels, family support centers, and orphanages, but most often they are sanatoriums and summer camps.

In places of detention, some of the children were involved in the Russian program of forced upbringing and adoption, after which they were transferred to Russian families and granted Russian citizenship.

Such institutions resort to “re-education” of Ukrainian children: this involves not only studying Russian culture and language, but also involving them in militarized programs that include combat training, participation in military competitions such as shooting or grenade throwing. Children are also involved in training in tactical medicine or drone control.

In particular, researchers documented how children from the Donetsk region underwent “paratrooper training” at a Russian military base. They were transported there on a plane operated by the Russian Presidential Administration.

This plane had previously been used to transport Ukrainian children as part of the Russian program of forced adoption and upbringing.

In addition, in such institutions, it was discovered that Ukrainian children were involved in directly assembling drones for the needs of the Russian military.

Children who participated in such programs were between 8 and 17 years old.

The report says that 106 of these 210 facilities are run by the Russian government, and 49 facilities have been expanded since the start of the full-scale invasion — researchers believe this was done to accommodate more Ukrainian children.

• The deportation of Ukrainian children is one of Russiaʼs war crimes, for which the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Putin and the Russian Childrenʼs Ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova. At least 19 546 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russia, and fewer than 400 have been returned. Ukraine also has evidence that Belarus is involved in the deportation of Ukrainian children.

Author: Maryna Nesterova

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