Official: Russia initiates large-scale resettlement to Ukraine's occupied territories

Russia has initiated large-scale resettlement of its Russians and the country's minorities to Ukraine's occupied territories while continuing to forcibly deport local populations, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported on April 26.

She said that this is primarily observed in occupied Luhansk Oblast.

According to Maliar, people from poor and remote regions of Russia are being brought to Ukraine's occupied territories and provided "every possible support" from the occupation authorities, including housing, employment, and loans for developing businesses.

The local Ukrainians are being forcibly deported "under various pretexts" to Russia, especially those suspected of "adhering to pro-Ukrainian positions."

"In this way, the enemy seeks to destroy Ukrainian statehood and the national self-identity of society in the temporarily-occupied Ukrainian territories," Maliar wrote.

The Reintegration Ministry reported on March 29 that over 19,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russia.

Additionally, the National Resistance Center reported on April 12 that over 100,000 Ukrainian children from Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts have been transported to Russia under the pretext of receiving "medical treatment."

Parents cannot refuse treatment without being threatened with losing their parental rights, according to the center.

Kharkiv Oblast resident forcibly deported to Russia: ‘It’s not a country, it’s a prison’

Editor’s Note: The Kyiv Independent isn’t revealing last name of the person interviewed for this story and the name of his native village for safety reasons. Ukrainian farmer Ihor escaped the “living hell” of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine in late March after he had spent a month in

Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko