The European Union and the United Kingdom have imposed new sanctions on Russian institutions and officials accused of systematically deporting and indoctrinating Ukrainian children during Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
The EU announced sanctions against 23 state institutions and individuals on Monday, while the UK unveiled a broader package targeting 85 people and entities. British authorities say roughly one-third of those sanctioned are linked to what was described as Russia’s campaign to forcibly deport and militarize Ukrainian children.
Based on an EU statement, Russia has deported and forcibly transferred nearly 20,500 Ukrainian children since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Brussels described the actions as grave violations of international law.
The sanctions target institutions and individuals allegedly involved in programs aimed at subjecting Ukrainian children to pro-Russian indoctrination, including patriotic events, ideological education and military-oriented activities.
The coordinated sanctions package, approved by all 27 EU member states alongside Canada and the UK, includes asset freezes and travel bans.
“We are dealing with a deliberate Russian policy, a calculated attack on Ukraine’s future,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said during a news conference. “Stealing children is not incidental.”
Among those sanctioned by the UK is the Warrior Center — formally known as the Center for Military and Patriotic Training and Education of Youth — a Russian state institution where Ukrainian children are reportedly subjected to military training and pro-Kremlin ideology.
The sanctions also target Yulia Sergeevna Velichko, the Moscow-installed minister for youth policy in the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic, over her alleged role in implementing state-led youth initiatives.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Britain would continue working with allies to support efforts to identify and trace children taken from Ukraine.
Russia has not denied relocating Ukrainian children, but claims the transfers were conducted for their protection, moving them away from frontline areas. Moscow has also said it is prepared to return children when relatives come forward and their identities are verified.
In 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over the alleged war crime of illegally deporting children from Ukraine.
Responding to the sanctions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused those targeted of helping erase Ukrainian identity.
“These are the ones who ‘rewire’ the identity of Ukrainian children, help make them hate their homeland, and one day take up arms to fight against Ukraine,” Zelensky said.
The UK’s wider sanctions package also targeted Russia’s alleged information warfare operations. Among those sanctioned were 49 individuals linked to the Social Design Agency, a Russian state-funded organization accused of running disinformation campaigns and political interference abroad, including alleged attempts to influence upcoming elections and establish pro-Russian organizations in Armenia.
Traditionally one of Moscow’s closest regional allies, Armenia has increasingly distanced itself from Russia in recent years.
Last week, the Kremlin summoned Armenia’s ambassador following remarks by Zelensky made during a speech in Yerevan, which Moscow claimed contained “terrorist threats” against Russia.
Header image: Children wearing Soviet-era uniforms attend a ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in the Donetsk region, Russian-controlled Ukraine May 8, 2026 [Stringer/AFP]
