Inna Andalitska, Yuriy Kobzar18:52, 10.10.24

Belarus, like Russia, carried out the “re-education” of Ukrainian children in the ideas of the “Russian world”.

Over the past three years, 2,219 Ukrainian children were taken to Belarus from territories under Russian occupation. This was discussed at the briefing of the International Group of Human Rights Organizations, which includes the ZMINA Human Rights Center.

It is noted that the removal of children from the occupied part of Donbas to Belarus began in the second half of 2021, and this process continued at least until June 2024. At the same time, children were most often taken out during the school year. 

Although the occupiers claimed that they were taking the children away for a temporary holiday, in reality they were subjected to indoctrination, i.e. political and cultural “re-education”. Some of the children were sent to Belarusian schools, where they are taught according to a program similar to the Russian one, which is full of Kremlin propaganda. At the same time, the Belarusian state identifies Ukrainian children in Belarus as “Russians” and recognizes the Russian citizenship imposed on them.

Human rights activists also found evidence of the involvement of Ukrainian children in paramilitary youth organizations in Belarus. Service in the Russian armed forces is also promoted among children.

Human rights activists emphasize that the figure of 2,219 children who were taken to Belarus is incomplete, because it includes only those cases for which there is convincing evidence.The Belarusian authorities actively facilitated the deportation and indoctrination of Ukrainian children from the territories occupied by Russia. In August 2023, Alexander Lukashenko categorically confirmed the agreement with Vladimir Putin regarding the financing of the removal of children from the budget of the Union State. The role of the Belarusian state is visible in the facts when Ukrainian children were taken on excursions to the military units of the Belarusian army.

Russia kidnaps Ukrainian children

As UNIAN wrote, the Russian Federation has established a large-scale system of “militarization” of stolen Ukrainian children and is preparing them for war, including for participation in further aggression against Ukraine. Human rights activists warn that time is running against Ukraine.

We also told that the priests of the Russian Orthodox Church help the occupiers with the Russification of deported Ukrainian children . They are also involved in “military-patriotic” youth organizations in Russia.

(c)UNIAN 2024