Russian aggression targets Ukrainian children under the guise of ‘summer camps’ and systematic Russification
Russia’s criminal policies concerning Ukrainian children are escalating: occupation authorities are mass transporting young Ukrainians from temporarily occupied territories under the pretense of organized ‘summer camps,’ but in reality, this represents a systematic campaign of abduction, Russification, and ideological manipulation.
According to the National Resistance Center, this summer, approximately 85,000 Ukrainian children were forcibly taken from occupied regions and relocated to Russian territories under the guise of ‘support’ and ‘rehabilitation.’ Furthermore, another 180,000 children from families of Russian military personnel have fallen victim to this program, with the overall budget exceeding 62 billion rubles.
Experts emphasize that this is not simply about temporary health improvement but a deliberate policy aimed at Russification, propaganda, and the destruction of Ukrainian identity.
There are concerns that the Kremlin seeks to use Ukrainian children as a resource for future military actions—creating conditions for mobilization or internal destabilization of Ukraine.
A particular incident involved a massive attack on the city of Lozova, where the entire city was left without electricity, and among the injured were children.
The Resistance Center highlights that this strategy of systematic Russification and child abduction exemplifies Russia’s cynical ideological war against Ukraine.