A Russian Military Camp Is Holding Ukrainian Children from Occupied Territories in Novosibirsk, Russia

Russian authorities are holding Ukrainian children from occupied Bilovodsk in the Luhansk region at a military camp near a training range in Novosibirsk Region, Russia. The facility, referred to as the “Young Soldiers” camp, hosts schoolchildren aged 11 to 17, who are being subjected to military training.

According to the Luhansk Regional State Administration, the children are enrolled in what the Russians describe as a military-patriotic camp. The program includes training in tactical, firearms, and drill skills. It is reported that their parents are unaware of the situation.

The camp is situated near a military training ground, which is part of the federal project “Faces of Friendship.” As part of the program, the children are also expected to participate in informal meetings with individuals involved in the war in Ukraine and to complete physical fitness standards known as “GTO,” a Soviet-era system for assessing physical training.

Since 2014, 20% of Ukrainian children have either lived in occupied territories or have been relocated or kidnapped to Russia or other occupied regions.