Russia Commits “Widespread Violations” Against Children’s Rights In Ukraine, New UN Report Finds

The United Nations condemned Russia for inflicting “unimaginable suffering” on millions of Ukrainian children, as detailed in a new report released on March 21.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, the rights of Ukrainian children have been severely violated, with lasting physical and psychological effects, according to UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk.

The report highlighted widespread abuses in the four Ukrainian regions temporarily occupied by Russia, including summary executions, arbitrary detention, torture, and sexual violence. It also documented instances of children being forced into military-patriotic training and subjected to a Russian school curriculum, both violations of international humanitarian law.

In addition, the UN reported the transfer of at least 200 Ukrainian children to Russia and Russian-occupied territories, which it described as potential war crimes. The number is likely much higher.

Ukraine has condemned these actions as war crimes and genocide. The International Criminal Court had previously issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and children’s rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova over their roles in the abduction of children.

The report also noted that Russia failed to provide essential information about the children to the Central Tracing Agency, preventing families from locating their loved ones. As of February 2025, over 600 children had been confirmed killed, with hundreds of thousands displaced both internally and as refugees.

Earlier, four Ukrainian teenagers were returned to government-controlled territory after being held in Russian-occupied areas.