Indoctrination, torture, violence — Report reveals Ukrainian children's ordeal under Russian occupation

More than half of Ukrainian children under Russian occupation were subjected to indoctrination, while some reported torture and sexual violence, according to a report by Save Ukraine and War Child U.K. published on Sept. 11.

The study, based on testimonies of 200 children brought back from occupied territories and Russia, describes Moscow's campaign as the largest, most organized assault on child rights in Europe since the Yugoslav wars.

About 55% of surveyed children reported experiencing indoctrination, 10% said they were subjected to torture or other cruel treatment, and 6% reported sexual violence.

The report, seen by the Kyiv Independent, found that 41% of children were subjected to militarization through weapons training, forced drills, or enrollment in state-sponsored groups such as Russia's Yunarmiya (Youth Army).

The study also said that 18% of children were separated from their families, another 18% were denied medical care, and 17% reported being detained in police stations, filtration camps, or informal facilities.

"Every day felt like we were being shaped into something we weren't. They didn't treat us like kids. They wanted us to behave like their soldiers," a 16-year-old girl from Kherson Oblast said in her testimony.

Researchers concluded that Russia aims to erase Ukrainian identity and prepare the children for eventual use in its armed forces, potentially forcing them to fight against their own country.

According to the study's authors, this is the first such report using testimonies of affected children to expose Russia's crimes.

"In each child’s eyes, we see fear; in their voices we hear stories of being forced into military camps, punished for speaking Ukrainian or showing any trace of their heritage, and subjected to relentless psychological and physical abuse," said Mykola Kuleba, CEO of Save Ukraine.

"Their very identities are being systematically erased in order to turn them into 'Russian children'."

Helen Pattinson, CEO of War Child U.K., said that it is a "terrifying experience for a child to be separated from their families, let alone be stolen by another state."

"The world cannot look away. We’re calling for immediate and impactful action from world leaders to return these children to their homes as the absolute bare minimum," Pattinson added.

The abductions remain a central issue in Kyiv's talks with allies and Moscow. President Volodymyr Zelensky has called the children's return a non-negotiable condition in any peace deal.

Ukraine's Children of War database has recorded 19,546 children abducted by Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion, with only 1,605 being brought back home. Researchers from Yale University estimate that the real figure could be up to 35,000.

In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Children's Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova over their role in the abductions.