Russia’s militarisation of Ukrainian children is a crime against their identity

The International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) strongly condemns the forced militarisation and ideological indoctrination of Ukrainian preschool children in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. Current research shows that even small children in the occupied parts of Luhansk Oblast are being put into Soviet uniforms, forced to chant war slogans and used in propaganda parades to glorify the Russian war of aggression.

Children at a kindergarten in Luhansk form a ‘Z’ – Russia’s symbol for its war of aggression against Ukraine.

The Russian occupation apparatus deliberately abuses the innocence of Ukrainian children. In harmless-looking school performances, Russian aggression is normalised and the occupier’s army is glorified. This is intended to erase Ukrainian identity at an early age, criticises the IGFM. This is not a new tactic. From militarisation through the so-called ‘youth army’ (Юнармия) to the rewriting of history books, Russia is pursuing a project of targeted identity destruction – a genocidal approach that is intended to destroy Ukrainian self-image and national sovereignty from the ground up.

Children in uniforms that form the letter ‘Z’, wearing the St George ribbon or reciting slogans are not patriotic rituals – they are part of a targeted psychological manipulation. Such practices violate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and constitute psychological abuse and cultural violence.

Ukrainian children in the occupied Luhansk region wearing Soviet military uniforms sing Soviet songs from the Second World War and salute. Photo: Propaganda telegram from the LuhanMedia channel

The ISHR demands:

• An international investigation into these indoctrination measures for violation of international humanitarian law;
• Sanctions against individuals and institutions involved in the indoctrination of children;
• Full support for Ukraine, which is defending its country from Russian aggression