Two years on, thousands of Ukrainian children still forcibly displaced by Russia

Feb. 24 will mark the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Throughout the war, thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been killed. One-fourth of the country remains displaced. Numerous cities and villages have been destroyed, and experts predict it will take over one trillion dollars to rebuild the country.

Beyond this death and destruction, others have suffered. As coverage of the war becomes more publicly available, the international community has become more aware of Russia’s atrocities and crimes. Throughout the invasion, there have been numerous accounts of Russians terrorizing, torturing, and raping Ukrainian men, women, and children. Russian forces have also mutilated several Ukrainians. Others were executed by their Russian occupiers.

These discoveries were most apparent when Ukrainian forces liberated parts of northern and eastern Ukraine from the Russians. These atrocities came to light in places such as Bucha and Izyum. It is unknown what other crimes against humanity have been committed by Russians against the Ukrainians in the remaining occupied regions of the country.

Throughout the war, the United Nations has investigated and concluded that Russia has committed numerous crimes against humanity. Legislative bodies are determining how Russia can be punished for these acts. Despite this, the Russian Federation has chosen to continue its invasion, and there is no apparent end to the war in sight.

One group that has suffered greatly from the war is Ukrainian children. To date, hundreds of thousands of families across Ukraine have been torn apart. Children have been forcibly and unlawfully taken by Russian soldiers. These Ukrainians are then brought back to Russia, thousands of miles from their families, where they are forced to live with strangers. During this process, Russian families that adopt these forcibly displaced children then begin the process of Russifying them.

According to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, there is “evidence that deported [Ukrainian] children had faced a process of ‘russification’ through re-education.” Through this process, these Ukrainians are told to abandon their Ukrainian language, heritage, and culture. They are then forced to learn Russian and adopt Russian traditions. They are told to identify themselves as Russian.

There are also programs within Russia that are overseeing these efforts. According to a report published by the Yale University School of Public Health, the re-education programs in Russia are seen to forcibly integrate “children from Ukraine into the Russian government’s vision of national culture, history, and society.” How this is occurring suggests that it has been “planned and organized in a systemic way,” further evidence to suggest that Russia is trying to do away with the Ukrainian people altogether.

Despite these detailed reports, thousands of Ukrainian children remain in Russian captivity. One wonders how and when they will be able to return home. To make matters worse, several of these children have not been documented. Thus, it is unclear how many Ukrainian children are forcibly displaced.

Some of these Ukrainian children in captivity have escaped and spoken out about their situation. They are urging countries and organizations to help their compatriots. Although international organizations are receptive to the statements made by these Ukrainian children, these organizations are still trying to determine how others can return home. This delay only prolongs the captivity of Ukrainian children in Russia.

Still, the international community is finally starting to bring some pressure to the Russians. Earlier this month, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child discussed the forced abduction of Ukrainian children. During the session, the committee urged the Russian Federation to end its policy of deporting Ukrainians. Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for “Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Children Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova on war crimes.” The Russian Federation has nonetheless refused to stop forcibly displacing Ukrainian children.

Overall, Russia has committed a wide range of crimes and acts against the Ukrainians since the invasion began in February 2022. Children are one of the groups most affected by Russia’s war, and their voices are being ignored.

The international community must aid those who have been forcibly taken and displaced by Russia. Furthermore, the Russian Federation must be punished for separating families and ruining these relationships. Otherwise, if the Russians do not face consequences for their actions, they will continue to conduct these illegal acts. This will only lead to greater hardships for Ukrainians and their country.

Mark Temnycky is an accredited freelance journalist covering Eurasian affairs and a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center.