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Nearly 50 Ukrainian Children Report Online Recruitment Attempts by Russian Agents

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Photo of Liubava Petriv
Liubava Petriv
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Tetiana_frolova
Tetiana Frolova
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Nearly 50 Ukrainian Children Report Online Recruitment Attempts by Russian Agents
Children engage in activities inside a 'Point of Invincibility' shelter in the Kyiv region, set up to support residents affected aftermath of Russian drone attack, in Kyiv, Ukraine on January 24, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)

Nearly 50 Ukrainian children have reported to law enforcement agencies about attempts by Russian operatives to recruit them, officials say.

Vasyl Bohdan, head of Ukraine’s juvenile police, spoke about the situation during a television broadcast on May 23, as reported by Ukrinform.

“We are currently seeing a steady increase in the number of reports from children about recruitment attempts. To date, nearly 50 children have contacted the National Police, saying that unknown individuals reached out to them through social media and messaging apps using fake accounts,” Bohdan said.

He explained that these contacts often encourage children to carry out acts such as setting fire to military vehicles, government buildings, local authorities’ offices, and critical infrastructure. The children are also sometimes asked to collect various types of information, with promises of financial rewards.

Bohdan noted that the juvenile police division, together with the Security Service of Ukraine, is running an extensive information campaign across the country to raise awareness among school students.

He further explained that initial tasks given to children by recruiters tend to be relatively simple, such as gathering information on military locations or distributing leaflets containing propaganda against the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, more serious tasks may follow.

“These more serious tasks can include installing surveillance cameras, setting fires, damaging property, organizing sabotage and even acts of terrorism, or participating in parts of their preparation,” Bohdan said.

Previously, it was reported that In the temporarily occupied city of Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk region, Russian authorities have begun involving preschool children in state-run propaganda activities.

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