Human Rights Analysts Expose Systematic Deportation and Militarization of Ukrainian Children in Belarus

Since 2021, 2,219 Ukrainian children have been identified as forcibly relocated to Belarus from occupied territories, primarily from orphanages, under the guise of "rehabilitation," as revealed in an investigation by The Analytical Portal of the Regional Center for Human Rights.

This operation, initiated by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, escalated after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Lukashenko’s 2021 decree on "recreation and rehabilitation for children from Donbas" effectively sanctioned their deportation and indoctrination alongside Russian forces.

Researchers from ZMINA and Freedom House have uncovered evidence of Belarusian state-controlled NGOs facilitating these relocations, presenting them as humanitarian initiatives. Documents reveal transport records, personal details, and camp activities aimed at erasing the children’s Ukrainian identity.

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War in Ukraine

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Many are placed in camps where they are indoctrinated with Russian propaganda, taught to view occupied territories as Russian, and used to promote pro-Russian narratives. Belarusian propaganda deliberately avoids referring to the children as Ukrainians, instead labeling them as "Donbas children" or "new citizens of the Russian Federation," to align with pro-Russian narratives.

This operation is coordinated by Russian and Belarusian officials, including Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's Commissioner for Children's Rights whose arrest warrant was issued by the International Criminal Court for the deportation of Ukrainian children, and Belarusian organizations like the Aleksei Talai Foundation.

Between 2022 and 2023, Russia allocated over $300,000 for these efforts, framing them as "humanitarian aid."

As of now, over 260,000 Ukrainian children are estimated to have been forcibly relocated to Russia and Belarus since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. At least 18 indoctrination camps operate in Belarus, with another 67 identified in Russia and 13 in occupied Ukrainian territories.

Ukrainian civil society organizations are preparing to submit evidence to the International Criminal Court, seeking accountability for those involved in these crimes.