Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia, forced to work in military factories. What did Yale researchers discovered
Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia were put to work in factories to produce drones and other military equipment for the Russian army, a recent report of the Yale University Humanitarian Research Laboratory, The Telegraph reports. According to this study, 210 facilities were used by Russia for abduction, deportation, re -education and forced adoption of tens of thousands of children taken from the war areas.
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The report provides details on eight types of facilities, including a military base, where these children were taken within the Russian program of adoption and forced family placement.
The Russian president is already facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for accusations related to the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children, a war crime.
At the “Change Children's Center of the whole of Russia”, the Krasnodar region, southern Russia, Ukrainian children were forced to help the construction of drones, mines, robots and fast storm loaders.
“Over 300 children from the Donetsk, Luhansk, Herson and Zapoarie regions have been taken to this unit from 2022 to the present.”it is stated in the report of the researchers from Yale.
This camp deals with at least six different programs for children in Russia and busy Ukraine.
Some of them are hosted by Iunarmia, a militarized youth group, funded by the Russian Defense Ministry.
In April 2024, the “innovation and technology camp” organized by this group made the children work in the manufacture of equipment intended for use on the Ukrainian battlefield.
“At least one group of children in the Lugansk region would have participated in the camp in which the children created equipment for the Russian army”is shown in the report of Yale University.
In other camps hosted by Change, children received training in firearms and tactical medicine.
Ukrainian children were included in military training programs
The satellite images captured on April 16, 2025 show characteristic signs of some alignments in formation.
The Ukrainian children also followed a program of “re -education and military training” at the “Young Patriot” Center outside Moscow, opened in July 2023. This is among the three locations held by the Department of Administration of Presidential Properties of the Kremlin.
In a previous report, Yale published evidence that the aircraft belonging to the Defense Department was used for the transport of abducted Ukrainian children.
“Young Patriot was launched with the explicit purpose of re -educating children from Ukraine and exposing them to military training.” It is shown in the most recent report of the Yale University.
In the first year of operation, the camp hosted at least three groups of children taken from the occupied region of Lugansk.
“While they were in this center, there were lessons presenting a historical perspective aligned with the Russian state, prepared for the standard national aptitude test, assembled and disassembled weapons and carried out technical-military training, exercises and medical training,” is shown in the report.
It is estimated that the last group documented by Ukrainian children arrived here in July 2025.
They were divided into “platons” and were photographed wearing tactical equipment, protective equipment and handing weapons.
About 40 facilities were used by Russia to indoctrinate Ukrainian children for military purposes.
Most places are owned by the Russian government. But the researchers also discovered facilities such as private hotels, but also a place of worship owned by the Russian Orthodox Church.
Victims of the war
According to Ukrainian officials, there is evidence of deportation of nearly 20,000 children, but the real number could be much higher, considering that some areas of Donetk and Lugansk were controlled by the pro-Russian separatists before the large-scale invasion of 2022.
“This report requires action. Children are always the most vulnerable victims of armed conflicts. These children have not only suffered trauma and disputes, but they were also victims of systemic deportations, illegal adoptions and forced assimilation.”Andri Iermak, the head of Volodimir Zelenski, reacted.
“It is as clear as possible that Russia intends to use Ukrainian children as a” weapon “against us and Europe in a broad sense. This report provides irrefutable evidence that contradicts Russia's statements and misinformation on how it treats children from Ukraine.”
Mariana Betsa, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine, reacted: “There is no doubt – these innocent and vulnerable victims of the large -scale invasion of Russia were not only taken near their families and their homes, but have been forced to re -education and militarization.
Children's suffering is one of the hardest to bear tragedies of this war. For the sake of global peace, Russia must allow the return of Ukrainian children to return home, and only then can we talk about a credible way for the future. ”
