OSCE recognized the militarization of Ukrainian children by Russia as a crime against humanity
Kyiv • UNN
The OSCE expert mission recognized the systematic Russian militarization of Ukrainian children as a crime against humanity. Over 20 thousand deported or forcibly displaced children have been identified.
The OSCE expert mission under the Moscow mechanism recognized the Russian militarization of Ukrainian children as a crime against humanity. This is reported by UNN with reference to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Details
The report states that these are not isolated incidents, but a systemic state policy sanctioned by the Russian authorities. As of today, 20,610 deported or forcibly displaced Ukrainian children have been identified.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine noted that the Russian Federation refused to cooperate with the OSCE expert mission. The report also states that Russia:
- forcibly includes Ukrainian children in the temporarily
occupied territories into the Russian educational system;
- removes the Ukrainian language from the educational process, replaces Ukrainian textbooks and programs with Russian ones, and presents Ukrainian national identity as a threat;
- imposes on children Russian state symbols, propaganda narratives, and justifications for the war against Ukraine - from kindergarten to senior grades;
- through lessons, cadet classes, youth movements, camps, and paramilitary structures, involves children in paramilitary training, propaganda, and support for the war against Ukraine;
- introduces into school programs elements of weapons handling, drone operation, tactical medicine, and preparation for
military service;
- prepares Ukrainian boys in the temporarily occupied territories for conscription into the armed or auxiliary formations of the occupying state;
- forces parents, teachers, and children to participate in this system through threats, persecution, deprivation of access to education, social services, medical care, and freedom of movement.
Such behavior is further confirmation that Moscow has no arguments to defend its actions, and can only try to conceal crimes, obstruct the establishment of truth, and avoid responsibility
The department also emphasized that the forcible transfer of children from one national group to another may also constitute an act of genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.