Illegal adoption
American researchers identified 314 Ukrainian children placed in Russia’s program of coerced adoption and fostering since February 2022 – 208 of which have already been placed in a Russian family, or have had Russians as their guardians. Real numbers are much higher and could amount to thousands of children.
Militarization
Russia subjects Ukrainian children to militarization: kids are taught to dig trenches, use a gun and jump with a parachute. Reports have confirmed the existence of at least 32 re-educational facilities across Russia for Ukrainian children with 11 located over 500 miles from Ukraine – two in Siberia and one in Russia’s East.
Indoctrination
Abducted children and those in occupied territories are forced to go to Russian schools, where they are taught that Ukraine does not exist and the West is the enemy. Young children are vulnerable to such influence and take on trusting these teaching more than their own parents.
Family separation
Russia not only displaces the whole orphanages, but takes children with living parents from boarding schools, separates children from parents in hospitals and filtration camps and also coerces parents to send their children to "recreational camps" under the threat of depriving them of parental rights.
Risk of child trafficking
Frequent displacement and relocation of children from their native environment to a hostile country as well as subjecting them to the legal complications - change of name and citizenship - creates environment for child trafficking and puts them at higher risk of exploitation
Abuse and mistreatment
In Russian captivity, children do not receive appropriate medical treatment and are subjected to physical, sexual and psychological abuse. It leads to irreversible health issues and even suicides.