Russia trains Ukrainian youth in occupied territories with pro-Kremlin programs, UK intel says
Photo: Russia imposes propaganda on children in occupied territories (Getty Images)
Russia continues violent political indoctrination of Ukrainian youth in occupied territories, aiming to impose anti-Ukrainian views on children, reports the UK Ministry of Defense.
Several organizations teach Ukrainian children military skills while exposing them to pro-Russian and anti-Ukrainian propaganda. These include the Russian Ministry of Defense's youth group, Yunarmiya, and the Kremlin-backed organization, the Movement of the Firsts.
British intelligence noted that Russian educational authorities present their actions as efforts to counter so-called extremism.
A 2022 guide from the Russian Ministry of Education, titled"Preventing conflicts, manifestations of extremism, and terrorism in a poly-cultural educational environment," even claims that the phrase "Glory to Ukraine" is a sign of extremism.
Since 2022, Russian authorities have also run a program called "University Sessions." Under this program, children from occupied Ukrainian regions are taken to Russian universities, where they receive so-called patriotic education. According to the report, about 50,000 Ukrainian children have participated in these sessions across 116 Russian universities.
Deportation of Ukrainian children
According to Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, Russia has deported more than 19,000 children from Ukraine. He also warned that 1.5 million children in the occupied territories remain at risk of deportation.
In response, Ukraine has initiated the creation of a registry for children deported by Russia. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in 2022 for Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the Russian Ombudsman in connection with these deportations.
