Ukrainian woman describes forced deportation and re-education of children in Russian-occupied territories

A Ukrainian woman identified as Nadia has testified about the systematic deportation and ideological re-education of children from Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) reports.

Speaking to LRT, Nadia described how Russian authorities remove children from their families under the pretext of “evacuation” or “temporary relocation,” only to place them in state-run institutions or foster families deep inside Russia. Many are then subjected to forced assimilation, including mandatory Russian language instruction and propaganda lessons aimed at erasing their Ukrainian identity.

“They take them to camps, to boarding schools, to families in Russia,” Nadia said. “The children are told their parents abandoned them, that Ukraine no longer exists, and that Russia is their new home.”

According to her account, some children are moved as far as Siberia or the Russian Far East, making family reunification nearly impossible. Those who resist or express pro-Ukrainian views face punishment, including isolation or psychological pressure.

Nadia’s testimony aligns with previous reports from human rights groups documenting the forced transfer of thousands of Ukrainian children since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The practice has been condemned by international bodies as a violation of the Geneva Conventions.

Russian officials have defended the transfers as humanitarian measures to protect children from conflict zones, though evidence suggests many were taken without parental consent or under coercion.