Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of abducting Ukrainian children and preparing some of them to fight against their own country after subjecting them to years of ideological indoctrination and military training.
Speaking in an interview with CBS News, Zelensky said Ukraine has gathered evidence indicating that children taken from occupied Ukrainian territories are being taught to reject their Ukrainian identity and, in some cases, are later pushed toward military service on Russia’s side. The Ukrainian leader says some abducted boys are being trained for future deployment against fellow Ukrainians.
The allegations come amid longstanding international concerns over the fate of thousands of Ukrainian children transferred to Russia or Russian-occupied territories since the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Zelensky said the children are subjected to propaganda designed to make them “despise” their homeland, while promoting loyalty to Russia.
Human rights groups, legal experts and international investigators have previously documented cases of Ukrainian children being relocated to Russia, placed in re-education programs, or enrolled in military-style youth camps. Reports have described children receiving military training, including drone operation lessons and participation in programs aimed at preparing young people for future service in Russia’s armed forces.
The issue has drawn global attention since the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in 2023 for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, over the alleged unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children. Moscow denies wrongdoing and maintains that children were evacuated from conflict zones for their safety.
Ukraine says it has identified more than 19,000 children who were forcibly transferred, while officials and advocacy groups believe the real number could be significantly higher. Efforts to return the children remain ongoing, but only a fraction have been successfully reunited with their families.
Zelensky described the return of abducted children as one of Ukraine’s most urgent humanitarian priorities, calling on the international community to intensify efforts to locate and bring them home.
Header image source: The Telegraph
