Ukraine Accuses Russia of Child Deportation and Indoctrination

Ukraine has accused Russia of using state institutions and legislation to systematically deport, indoctrinate, and militarise Ukrainian children. This campaign aims to erase their Ukrainian identity and sever family and cultural ties.

The allegations follow a July 2026 report by an independent expert mission under the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which found evidence of coordinated practices involving indoctrination, militarisation, coercion, and repression. The report examined Russia’s policies affecting Ukrainian children in occupied territories and those unlawfully deported to Russia.

Ukraine stated that approximately 1.6 million Ukrainian children remain under Russian control, with 20,610 reports of unlawful deportation and forced transfer recorded. The OSCE report highlighted how Russia has intertwined various laws to create a mechanism for indoctrination and militarisation, utilizing military-patriotic youth organisations and re-education camps.

The findings have raised concerns about the use of education as a tool for political and ideological control in occupied territories.