Ever since February of 2022, Russia has been engaging in the kidnapping and transferring of Ukrainian children from their families and friends “re-education” facilities. Russia’s objective is seemingly to educate the Ukrainian children in Russian history and culture. On Sept. 16, the Yale School of Public Health and Humanitarian Research Lab reported that these children have been take to more than 210 facilities in Russia to begin this process.
The facilities range from summer camps to military academies. Some have been forced into family centers, mental health institutions, and monasteries.
Here children are becoming adaptive to the Russian code, such as participating in the Russian national anthem, and learning about Russian history. This reform of the Russian lifestyle awakened insecurities and fear in the kids, with 13-year-old Ukrainian boy Artem Kharkiv stating, “I wanted to escape through the backyard but was afraid they might shoot me. So, I had to get in the truck with them. It was so scary.” Even some older kids in military camps are handling dangerous equipment such as drones and grenades.
The “Bring Kids Back” Ukrainian initiative has reported over 19,500 unlawful abductions since that February, and only 1,625 children have been returned. The program, established back in 2023, has joined efforts of international organizations, partner countries, and government agencies to help return Ukrainian children to their homes. Partnering to stop the Russian government of getting away with committing international crimes.
As of March of 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, of “The war crime on unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation”.
Though the Russian government remains untouched at the moment, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the issue at the UN General Assembly on September 23, 2025, in hopes of attracting support and increasing awareness for all of the broken households in Ukraine.
