VIENNA, Austria, 10 July 2026 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/ – A landmark independent international investigation has concluded that Russia is operating a systematic state programme that indoctrinates, militarises and prepares Ukrainian children in occupied territories for future service in the Russian armed forces, findings experts say may amount to crimes against humanity and serious violations of international humanitarian law. The report concludes that these are not isolated incidents, but elements of an organised state policy targeting the identity and future of a generation of Ukrainian children.
The findings reinforce internationally recognised principles protecting children from armed conflict, forced recruitment and the erosion of their identity. These principles are reflected in international humanitarian law and align with longstanding commitments under the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the African Union’s consistent support for the protection of children in situations of conflict, accountability for grave violations and the peaceful resolution of disputes.
The report was prepared by three independent experts under the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) Moscow Mechanism after 41 participating States invoked the body’s emergency investigative procedure to examine Russia’s treatment of Ukrainian children. It is the first international report to conclude that Russia’s policy of militarising and indoctrinating Ukrainian children constitutes a systematic state programme rather than a series of individual abuses.
According to the report, the system affects two categories of children: more than 20,600 children officially recorded as deported or forcibly transferred, more than one million remaining under Russian control – in Russia or on temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The experts conclude that many children are subjected to sustained political indoctrination from around the age of six, compulsory military training from the age of 13, pre-conscription registration from 16 and eventual military service at 18 in the armed forces occupying their homeland.
The investigation further finds that coercive measures underpin the system. Families refusing to enrol children in Russian schools face intimidation, teachers who resist the imposed curriculum risk dismissal or detention, while access to education, healthcare, banking and other essential public services increasingly depends on obtaining Russian citizenship. The report concludes that this process functions not only as forced assimilation but also as a mechanism feeding future military conscription.
Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, said the report represents the first international finding that Russia’s actions against Ukrainian children form part of a deliberate state policy.
“Militarisation, indoctrination, forced assimilation and deportation all serve a single goal – to destroy the identity of an entire generation of Ukrainians. This constitutes a crime against humanity. The fate of Ukrainian children must be an integral part of any peace negotiations, and everyone responsible for these crimes must be held accountable.”
Despite Russia’s refusal to cooperate with the investigation, the independent experts conclude there are reasonable grounds to believe that the systematic persecution of Ukrainian children on national grounds constitutes crimes against humanity. The report also identifies probable war crimes, including unlawful deportation, forcible transfer, torture and inhuman treatment.
The report recommends that the protection and return of Ukrainian children become a distinct and non-negotiable element of any future peace process. It further calls for sustained international cooperation to facilitate the return of affected children and to ensure accountability for those responsible for violations of international law.
Mariana Betsa, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, said:
“We call on our international partners to strengthen cooperation, increase pressure on Russia and ensure that those responsible for these crimes are held accountable. The return of every Ukrainian child must remain a global humanitarian priority.”
The findings will inform discussions at the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children Ministerial Conference in Toronto on 28–29 September 2026, where participating governments will consider further diplomatic, humanitarian and legal measures to support the return of deported children and strengthen international accountability efforts.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf ETHICORE Group on behalf of BKB
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Notes to editors
The report, Violations and Abuses of International Humanitarian, Human Rights and Criminal Law Related to the Militarization and Indoctrination of Ukrainian Children by the Russian Federation, was prepared by independent experts Professor Hervé Ascensio (France), Dr Elīna Šteinerte (Latvia) and Professor Stefan Wolff (United Kingdom) under the OSCE Moscow Mechanism.
The Moscow Mechanism is an emergency investigative procedure established by the OSCE in 1991 to examine serious human rights concerns. This investigation was initiated by 41 participating States on 14 May 2026.
The Bring Kids Back UA initiative, launched by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2023, seeks the return of all Ukrainian children unlawfully deported or forcibly transferred by Russia. Ukraine has verified 20,610 such cases, although the actual number is believed to be significantly higher. More than one million children remain in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and locations in Russia, while only 2,368 children have so far been returned.
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