The Kremlin’s latest effort to deepen its assimilation of Ukrainians involves the planned relocation of 5,000 schoolchildren from temporarily occupied Luhansk Oblast to Russia. This initiative falls under the Kremlin’s so-called “Cultural Map 4+85” program, designed to expose Ukrainian children to Russian cities in trips, which, according to the Ukrainian governmental Center for National Resistance, are aimed at fostering Russification. The program encourages children to continue their education in Russian institutions.
The programs aimed at the forceful integration of Ukrainian children into the Russian society are not limited to the “Cultural Map 4+85.” The Russian occupying forces are also expanding other initiatives under various guises, including university exchanges and wellness trips – efforts “aimed to uproot Ukrainian children, sever them from their cultural identity, and integrate them into Russian society,” as stated by the Center.
The Center has emphasized that the forced removal and assimilation of Ukrainian children constitute acts of genocide under international law. Such crimes violate multiple international conventions, including the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
Russia’s forcible deportation and assimilation of Ukrainian children have been systematic and widespread since the onset of its full-scale invasion in 2022. The Regional Center for Human Rights documented the relocation of Ukrainian kids to various locations in Russia. In the summer of 2024 alone, Russian-installed authorities deported 40,000 children from occupied Ukrainian territories under the guise of recreational and “patriotic education” activities. These programs aimed to eradicate national identity and forcibly assimilate Ukrainian children through intense propaganda and military training.
The international community has condemned these actions. In particular, recently, in November 2024, the United Kingdom sanctioned ten Russian individuals involved in the forcible deportation and attempted indoctrination of Ukrainian children, underscoring the systematic nature of these violations.
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