The Ukrainian government has released troubling information regarding the illegal abduction and militarisation of Ukrainian children by Russian forces. According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, Russian authorities have been actively involved in the forced removal of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories for purposes of “re-education” and ideological indoctrination.
In a statement released by the Main Intelligence Directorate, it was revealed that 316 individuals and 164 legal entities from Russia are responsible for the abductions. These organisations have been involved in taking children from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as other areas under Russian control, and subjecting them to various forms of military training and ideological programming.
The Ukrainian Intelligence also highlighted the involvement of the Russian military-patriotic club “Phoenix”, which hosted a “military-patriotic programme” for children from the temporarily occupied Makiivka in the Donetsk region. During this programme, children were taken to a tank training ground, where they were taught how to use firearms and engage in military-style salutes. The organisers of this event were identified as Dmitriy Lipovskiy, the director of the club, and Dmitriy Khrustalyov, a Russian “humorist.” These individuals are said to have played key roles in the militarisation of the children involved.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has strongly condemned this illegal act, stating that the forcible removal and militarisation of children is a violation of international law and human rights. The United Nations has also condemned such actions, reporting that at least 12,000 civilians, including 600 children, have been killed since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
