Ukrainians are deported for "further assimilation" in remote regions in Russia, while Russian authorities are creating conditions forcing them to obtain a Russian passport, the Ukrainian military's National Resistance Center reported on April 7.
Over 2,500 captive Ukrainian civilians have been deported to Russia from the occupied territories, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on April 6.
"We cannot clearly say how many Ukrainians are currently on the territory of the Russian Federation as Russia itself does not provide us with any official numbers,” noted Lubinets.
According to Lubinets and the Office of the Ombudsman, there is evidence that Russia is allegedly trying to recruit some of the individuals into the Wagner mercenary group to then fight against Ukraine.
So far, Russia has reportedly deported over Ukrainian 19,000 children to its territory, violating the Geneva Conventions, the Reintegration Ministry reported on March 28.
To date, only 327 children have been returned to Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
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