According to Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, during the summer of 2024, Russian occupiers forcibly removed more than 3,000 Ukrainian children from the occupied territories in the Kherson region.
Points of attention
- Russian occupiers deported over 3,000 Ukrainian children from the Kherson region in the summer of 2024 under the false pretense of recreational programs.
- The abducted children were subjected to forced assimilation and militarization, with the goal of erasing their national identity.
- These actions by the Russian Federation are part of a larger strategy to utilize children in the conflict against Ukraine.
- Efforts have been made to return some abducted Ukrainian children, showcasing the heartbreaking impact of these abductions on families.
- The online documentary 'Damaged Childhood' sheds light on Russia's abduction of Ukrainian children, highlighting the ongoing relevance of the issue.
What is known about the large-scale abduction of children by Russia from the occupied territories in the Kherson region?
Under the guise of recreational, health and cultural and educational programs, 3,310 children were transferred to various camps in remote regions of the Russian Federation, Lubinets noted.
According to him, among the so-called events for children organized by the invaders of the aggressor country are the defense and sports training in Vologda and the "University Changes" organized in Tula.
The Ombudsman emphasized that the Russian occupiers involve abducted Ukrainian children in excursions, master classes, sports competitions, as well as in programs that promote forced assimilation and militarization.
"I am sure that these actions are part of a targeted strategy of the Russian Federation aimed at destroying the national identity of Ukrainian children by instilling Russian culture, history, and language, and involving them in the future in the fight against their native country," Lubinets emphasized.
What is known about the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia?
Three more children were returned from the temporarily occupied regions to the territory controlled by Ukraine — a 17-year-old boy and two underage boys.
Dmytro Lubinets said that the mother of the younger boys was forced to leave Ukraine due to the Russian invasion.
According to the ombudsman, the woman was separated from her two young sons, who remained in the temporarily occupied territory in the Donetsk region with their biological father.
The Online.UA documentary "Damaged Childhood" tells the story of Russia's abduction of Ukrainian children from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
It was filmed in 2023, but it still remains relevant.
