Ukraine Identifies 20,000 Forcibly Deported Children as Russia Funnels Teens Into Camps and Military Service

Ukraine has discovered information about 20,000 Ukrainian children who were forcibly relocated or deported by Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, DW reported on February 24, citing the Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, speaking at the Justice Conference.

Lubinets stated that, under international humanitarian law, all Ukrainian children currently in Russia are considered victims of forced relocation or deportation. He emphasized that Russia is treating these children as a military “mobilization resource,” stating that the intent behind these actions is part of a Russian strategy of genocide against the Ukrainian people.

Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska, also speaking at the conference, described how Ukrainian teenagers are being sent to militarized camps for “re-education,” with some boys being illegally conscripted into Russia’s armed forces upon reaching adulthood. Zelenska shared that some of these young men have participated in the war against Ukraine, with many having died.

Additionally, she revealed that Russian forces have been taking children from orphanages and from families of parents killed in cities like Mariupol, frequently using threats and coercion to remove children from their homes.

Lubinets also detailed the successful return of 2,003 children under the “Bring Kids Back UA” initiative, despite challenges with Russian authorities refusing to acknowledge the children’s whereabouts or returning them. Some children were even falsely accused of terrorism.

Read more

Category

War in Ukraine

Russia’s Child Soldiers: How the Kremlin Trains Ukrainian Kids and Sends Them to the Frontlines

Jul 07, 2025 14:46

Bring Kids Back UA is a comprehensive Ukrainian state action plan and humanitarian program initiated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2023 to locate, repatriate, and reintegrate thousands of children forcibly removed or deported by Russia. It unites government, international partners, and NGOs to combat illegal displacement, support, and legal prosecution for war crimes.

Lubinets expressed gratitude to the International Criminal Court for issuing arrest warrants against Russian officials, which exerted legal pressure on Russia to engage in talks on child repatriation.

He highlighted Qatar’s role in securing the return of 83 “complex cases” and noted the impact of US First Lady Melania Trump’s public support for Ukraine’s efforts, which led to Russia acknowledging documents for child repatriation. The most recent group of children was returned on February 13, 2026.

Earlier, it was reported that the school students in Russian-occupied Mariupol were formally inducted as “guardsmen” during a ceremony marking February 23.

The event took place at School No. 26 in Mariupol, where students recited an oath pledging allegiance to Russia. The outlet reported that the ceremony was organized with the participation of representatives of Russia’s National Guard (Rosgvardiya) and the occupation administration of the Mariupol urban district.

According to reports, Rosgvardiya officials presented the students with identification documents confirming their new status as “guardsmen.”

On the Frontline of Truth

Our reporters work on the frontlines to show what’s really happening in Ukraine. Your support helps them keep reporting.

SUPPORT FRONTLINE REPORTS