Armed Russian military personnel and collaborators took 15 children from the Novopetrivka special school in Mykolaiv Oblast to Anapa. Prosecutors identified all involved, ensured their inclusion in sanctions lists, and submitted the indictment to court, qualifying the actions as a war crime. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, according to UNN.
Details
Fifteen children from the Novopetrivka special school in Mykolaiv Oblast traveled from their native school through occupied Crimea to Russian Anapa. Instead of lessons and a safe childhood, they faced armed military personnel, a ban on their native language, and forced singing of the aggressor country's anthem. Under the procedural guidance of prosecutors from the Office of the Prosecutor General, a comprehensive investigation into this war crime was conducted. The full route of the illegal transfer of children was established, and those involved were identified, including a serviceman of the aggressor state's armed forces and two collaborators from temporarily occupied Kherson Oblast.
As noted, prosecutors have collected evidence for use in both national courts and international institutions. In addition, "the accused have been included in sanctions lists, and the indictment has been submitted to court."
Supplement
During the occupation of Novopetrivka village, 15 children remained in the local special school: ten deprived of parental care, two orphans, two more entered the institution due to difficult life circumstances, and one child was adopted by US citizens at the time of deportation.
From the first days of the occupation, Russian military personnel, including one of the future accused, regularly visited the school and checked for the presence of children. In July 2022, the director began looking for ways to evacuate to the territory controlled by Ukraine. The military learned about this, arrived at the institution, and established armed control.
About twenty armed Russian military personnel forcibly transported the children, along with the director and her husband, to the village of Stepanivka in Kherson Oblast, deep into the occupied territory, where they stayed for three months.
In October of the same year, two collaborators, threatening violence, organized their further transfer to the Dzhankoy railway station in Crimea. There, the children were met by representatives of the occupying "authorities" and deported to Anapa.
The children were subjected to daily ideological pressure: they were forced to sing the aggressor country's anthem, participate in events promoting pro-Russian views, forbidden to speak Ukrainian, and use Ukrainian symbols. The investigation established that there were no objective reasons for "evacuation." The children did not need medical care or additional examination, the school had a bomb shelter, supplies of food, medicines, and hygiene products, and the situation in the settlement remained stable.
Therefore, the actions of the accused Russians are qualified as "violations of the laws and customs of war."
The forced displacement of civilians from occupied territory, especially children, is a gross violation of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and a war crime under international humanitarian law.
Thanks to law enforcement, international partners, and volunteer organizations, all children were successfully evacuated from Russia to safe places abroad. The adopted child is currently in the US with guardians.
Mother with five children rescued from occupation in Crimea8/7/25, 1:41 PM • [views_3130]
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