A recent report from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) reveals that approximately 1.6 million children living in Ukrainian regions under Russian control are subjected to a system of indoctrination and militarization. This situation has been described by independent experts as potentially constituting persecution as a war crime, according to findings presented in Vienna.
During the event, part of the OSCE’s “Moscow Mechanism” aimed at investigating human rights issues, the report documented how Russia has established an institutionalized framework to indoctrinate these children. French expert Herve Ascensio expressed concerns, stating, “We believe this system could be likened to persecution as a war crime.”
Latvian expert Elina Steinerte noted that many youths have left occupied territories without informing their families to escape military conscription. The report, reviewed by AFP, includes instances of young people who were forcibly conscripted and subsequently sent to the front lines in Ukraine.
The experts recommend that the issue of Ukrainian children be included in any peace processes or negotiations, alongside the establishment of humanitarian corridors to facilitate family reunifications. It is estimated that violations affect around 1.6 million children residing in Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, and in partially occupied regions of Ukraine.
Kiev authorities claim that at least 20,600 children have been transferred to Russian territory. The “Moscow Mechanism” has been activated by 41 OSCE states as of May 14, marking its sixth mission regarding Ukraine since 2022, with a particular focus this time on the militarization and indoctrination of Ukrainian children.
OSCE experts conducted interviews and investigations from June 6 to June 11 in Ukraine, while Russia has not cooperated with the inquiry, AFP adds.
