Russians “re-educate” Ukrainian children in occupied territories, spend lavishly on special programmes

The Russians finance a significant number of programmes aimed at "re-educating" Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories. Source: Ukrinform, citing Kateryna Rashevska, an international lawyer and expert at the Regional Center for Human Rights, during the presentation of the analytical note "Anniversary of the arrest warrants for Putin and Lvova-Belova for the deportation of Ukrainian children: what has it achieved and what comes next?" Details: Rashevska stated that Russia's approaches have changed: whereas previously they would relocate children permanently to Russian territory, now they only temporarily transport them to Russia or Belarus within "re-education" programmes. 

These are short-term trips lasting two to three weeks, such as "Cultural Map 85+4", "University Changes", and "More Than a Journey". 

The temporary relocation period is used to teach the children Russian alternative history. The human rights advocate asserts that "insane amounts" of money are spent on these trips and gifts. Quote: "This so-called re-education constitutes multiple violations of international humanitarian law.

We generalise them under terms like 'militarisation', 'russification' and 'political indoctrination' of Ukrainian children.  They (Russia) have created many programmes under which this is happening. And all of these programmes are exclusively targeted at children from the so-called new regions of the Russian Federation, that is, from the occupied territories of Ukraine," Rashevska noted.

The expert says that the case of the deportation of Ukrainian children relies on Article 8 of the Rome Statute, a provision that establishes a list of war crimes.  During the presentation of the analytical note, Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) Commissioner for Human Rights, urged diplomatic representatives of partner countries to increase pressure on the Russian Federation and to support Ukraine, particularly within the framework of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. Quote: "We continue to look for new ways and tools to hold the Russian military and political leadership accountable," said Iryna Suslova, Representative of the Ombudsman for Children's Rights. 

Ukrainian human rights activist Olha Aivazovska also noted that the list of perpetrators needs to be expanded. 

"There are many more individuals involved in the destruction of an entire generation of Ukrainian children than just two people, so international justice must expand the list of potential criminals," she said.

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