At least 11,000 Ukrainian children detained in re-education camps across Russia – UK intelligence

Russian occupiers have reportedly placed nearly 10,000 Ukrainian children in their "re-education camps." The information comes from a report by the Yale Humanitarian Research Laboratory, as cited by the UK Ministry of Defense on X (former Twitter).

According to British intelligence, the data reveals that at least 11,000 Ukrainian children are held in 43 re-education camps across Russia, thousands of kilometers away from their homes.

The British report highlights that the lives and freedom of these children are at risk in these camps.

Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, disclosed during a national telethon that these camps act as official educational programs in Russia for Ukrainian children. He emphasized that Russian authorities are intentionally targeting Ukrainian children, attempting to enroll them in various military organizations and subjecting them to such "education."

"The Russians are not just doing this consciously. They want to raise a new generation of Russian military personnel from among Ukrainian children who, in the opinion of the Russians, will probably have to fight again against Ukraine or against other countries in the future," the ombudsman said.

As of now, over 70 similar camps reportedly operate in Russia, on temporarily occupied territories, and in Crimea. Lubinets revealed that both boys and girls fall under the umbrella of "re-education." They are taught to handle Kalashnikov rifles, sing Russian patriotic songs, and are prepared for a military career.

The Yale Humanitarian Research Laboratory also added that following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, over 2,400 Ukrainian children aged 6 to 17 were deported to 13 institutions in Belarus. According to The Telegraph, these institutions in Belarus served as "re-education camps."

The National Anti-Crisis Management, an opposition group in Belarus, asserted that President Lukashenko played a central role in forcibly relocating these children to Belarus, directly overseeing the funding of these processes.

Iryna Vereshchuk, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories, stated during the telethon that some of the Ukrainian children deported to Belarus are further being taken to Russia. She expressed concern about the vulnerable children, making it harder to locate them.

Ukraine insists on receiving lists of deported children and their return. Vereshchuk stated that there is no communication with the Belarusian side and emphasized that if arrest warrants are issued for the leadership of Belarus for the abduction and illegal transportation of Ukrainian children, it would not be surprising.

She stressed that there is evidence of Lukashenko's direct involvement, along with his family and the use of the Union State's bodies in the illegal deportation, essentially participating in genocide.

What we know about abduction of Ukrainian children

Official Ukrainian data states that, since February 24, 2022, 19,546 children have been deported from Ukraine to Russia, and only 386 children have been returned.

Ukrainian Ambassador Kyslytsia in the UN Security Council stated that Russia's invasion of Ukraine affected all 7.5 million Ukrainian children.

As Rubryka reported, the authorities of Ukraine have currently recorded the stay of Ukrainian children kidnapped by the Russian Federation in 57 regions of Russia.

Russia altered its deportation tactics after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian Ombudswoman Maria Lvova-Belova and President Vladimir Putin. Russian authorities started using new terminology in official documents to avoid accusations of kidnapping.