Russia, through military-patriotic and civic programs, continues to facilitate the deportation of Ukrainian children and adolescents to the Russian Federation. This is stated in a material by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reports UNN.
Details
It is indicated that recently a group of teenagers from the occupied Chaplynka, Kherson region, took part in the military-patriotic competition "Zarnitsa 2.0" at the military-sports camp "Avangard" in the Volgograd region of Russia.
"Zarnitsa 2.0" is a revival of the Soviet-era military game aimed at teaching young people basic military skills, which Russia has used in occupied Ukraine to Russify and militarize Ukrainian children. Russia also uses "Zarnitsa 2.0" to deport Ukrainian children to Russia and further militarize and provide military-patriotic education, particularly at the military-sports camp "Avangard"
They explain that teenagers from occupied Chaplynka will attend "Zarnitsa 2.0" until September 22 and will participate in combat simulations, tactical medicine, and sapper training, as well as practice drone control. At the same time, Russian war veterans in Ukraine will observe Ukrainian teenagers and "mentor them."
The head of the occupation authorities of the Zaporizhzhia region, Yevgeny Balitsky, ... reported that a group of "Yunarmia" (national movement of young army cadets) cadets from the occupied Zaporizhzhia region took part in the "Train of Heroes" project - a military-patriotic educational program that transports children by rail through Russian cities, including Novosibirsk, Tyumen, Ufa, Saratov, Volgograd, and Rostov-on-Don
They add that "Yunarmia" is a critically important component of Russia's broader Russification and militarization campaign targeting youth in occupied Ukraine, and increasingly facilitates programs that physically remove Ukrainian youth from occupied territories, exposing them to Russification programs within Russia.
Recall
A Yale University report found that Russia is holding abducted Ukrainian children in over 200 locations where they are subjected to military training and "re-education." Ukrainian authorities estimate the number of deported children at almost 20,000, of which only a small portion has been returned.