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Russia Exploits Toddlers for Military Propaganda in Temporarily Occupied Donetsk Region
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![Ivan_khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
In the temporarily occupied city of Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk region, Russian authorities have begun involving preschool children in state-run propaganda activities, according to Luhansk Regional Military Administration head Oleksii Kharchenko on May 4.
Young children attending local nurseries and kindergartens were recently presented with certificates for participating in drawing and poetry contests on military topics. The events were organized under the federal Russian program titled “Patriotic Education of Russian Citizens.”
Kharchenko noted that in addition to schools and universities, Russian authorities are now turning to early childhood institutions to expand the scope of their messaging campaigns.
Meanwhile, in the occupied town of Lysychansk, which has been without centralized water supply for three years, Russian-installed officials claimed to have repaired 15 kilometers of water infrastructure.
However, according to Kharchenko, the repairs have had minimal impact, with water available only in select neighborhoods. Most residents continue to rely on wells and occasional deliveries of non-potable water, which remain irregular.
Russian forces have also introduced so-called “anti-terrorism drills” in schools located in occupied Lutuhyne. Armed personnel reportedly instruct children on how to behave in potential hostage scenarios. Kharchenko stated that children are told such situations could occur at any time, reflecting similar practices observed in Russia.
Earlier, human rights groups revealed that over 2,200 Ukrainian children had been forcibly relocated from occupied territories to Belarus under the guise of “rehabilitation,” with many subjected to military-style indoctrination.
The operation—backed by Belarusian and Russian authorities—aims to erase Ukrainian identity and promote pro-Russian narratives through camps and state-run programs.
