Ukraine accuses five individuals of illegally deporting 367 Ukrainian children to Russia. Charges were announced against representatives of Russian occupation structures, accused of serious violations of international law.
The Security Service of Ukraine and the Prosecutor General’s Office reported that five suspects were charged in absentia with organizing the illegal deportation of children from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia. According to Ukrainian law enforcement, the deportation operation started on February 19, 2022, and was carried out under the leadership of a Kremlin representative, Mikhail Kushakov, and his four accomplices.
Kushakov, who was responsible for education and science in the terrorist organization “DNR,” and his aides organized the deportation of 223 children from boarding school No. 4 and another 11 children from the Dokuchayevsk special boarding school No. 27 to the Kursk region. Simultaneously, 130 children from boarding school No. 6 were deported to the Rostov region. On March 15, 2022, three more students from the same boarding school No. 4 were transferred to the Kursk region.
In total, according to official data, 159 of these children are now in Russian families under guardianship. The Security Service of Ukraine emphasizes that these actions violate the Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, which prohibits the forced transfer or deportation of protected persons.
Against the backdrop of these events, on September 16, it was reported that the United States discovered 150 new locations where, according to their data, Russia conducted “military training” of Ukrainian children. A total of 250 such facilities operate in Russia. On November 4, intelligence reported that Russia purchased 18,000 drones to provide schoolchildren with “combat experience.” As of November 13, Ukraine identified approximately 400 locations in Russia where abducted children are held.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| February 19, 2022 | Deportation of 223 children from boarding school No. 4 and 11 children from boarding school No. 27 to the Kursk region |
| February 19, 2022 | Deportation of 130 children from boarding school No. 6 to the Rostov region |
| March 15, 2022 | Deportation of 3 more children from boarding school No. 4 to the Kursk region |
| September 16, 2023 | Discovery of 150 new “military training” facilities for children in Russia |
| November 4, 2023 | Russia’s purchase of 18,000 drones for schoolchildren training |
| November 13, 2023 | Approximately 400 locations where Ukrainian children are held in Russia identified |
