U. S.-funded research has found over 210 sites where Ukrainian children are reportedly taken for military training and forced re-education by Russia. Yale’s School of Public Health revealed that more than 150 new sites were discovered since last year, when it first claimed Russian presidential aircraft transported children. The research indicates that about half of these locations are run by the Russian government. The findings suggest that the actual number of sites may be higher, as many are still being investigated.
Ukraine accuses Russia of unlawfully deporting or relocating over 19,500 children to Russia and Belarus, a breach of the Geneva Conventions. Yale previously estimated the number could be around 35,000. In response, Russia denies these allegations, claiming that the evacuation is voluntary.
Yale researchers concluded that Russia appears to operate a large-scale re-education system that can hold tens of thousands of Ukrainian children for extended periods. The number of children taken and the facilities where they are held have significantly increased since Yale’s initial report in 2023, which estimated that 6,000 children had been taken to 43 camps. These developments have led to arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, for the unlawful deportation of children.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, children have been taken to locations across 3,500 miles for various military programs, including combat training, drone assembly, and tactical skills. Ukrainian officials reported that over 1,600 deported children have returned, with more being brought home from Russian occupation.
With information from Reuters
