Thousands of Ukrainian children forced into vast Russian network of Russian camps, study finds

Summary:

A US government-sponsored study by the Conflict Observatory has revealed that Russia is operating a vast network of camps as part of a systematic effort to relocate and re-educate thousands of children from Ukraine.

The study has definitively documented around 6,000 Ukrainian children being taken from their homes by the Russian program.

However, the actual number of minors forcibly transferred to Russia and Russian-occupied territories is likely to be much higher, possibly even in the hundreds of thousands.

The Russian program involves at least 43 facilities in Russia and spans all levels of the Russian government.

The program is a systematic whole-of-government approach to the relocation, reeducation in some cases, adoption and forced adoption of Ukrainian children.

The children documented in the report ranged from 4 months to 17 years old.

The program is a clear systematic attempt to erase the history, culture, and language of Ukraine.

Some children were sent to military training camps in the Russian republic of Chechnya and Russia-occupied Crimea.

The Chechen camp was organized at the initiative of Russia’s federal government and was for boys designated to be at risk, including those with criminal records.

The program has links to the highest levels of government, according to the report.

The Ukrainian government has not responded to the report's findings.

Kyiv has accused Russia of forcibly transferring children and adults since the early days of the invasion.

Russian officials have consistently denied the accusations, calling them a "fantasy."

The Russian Department of Information and Press stated in August that the allegations were "groundless and are conjectures aimed at discrediting Russia

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