Lauge Risom Koch 
Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of training abducted Ukrainian children to fight against Ukraine, saying Kyiv possesses evidence of the alleged program.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has alleged that Russia is not only deporting Ukrainian children but also training some of them to fight against Ukraine in the future.
The claim marks one of his strongest accusations yet regarding the fate of children taken from occupied territories.
New allegation
According to CBS News, Zelensky said Ukraine possesses evidence that children taken to Russia are being indoctrinated and prepared for future military service.
“Yes, and they taught these children to hate their native country, to hate native people,” Zelensky said in an interview with CBS News.
“When these children grow up and they push these boys to the battlefield,” he added.
The Ukrainian president did not publicly provide details of the evidence his government claims to possess.
Child deportations
The allegation builds on existing accusations that Russia has carried out a large-scale program of transferring Ukrainian children from occupied territories.
According to CBS News, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023 over the alleged unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children.
The warrant also targeted Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights.
Moscow has consistently denied wrongdoing and describes the program as a humanitarian effort involving children affected by the war.
Prisoner exchanges
Zelensky also criticised suggestions that Ukrainian children could be included in prisoner exchange arrangements.
“It’s important to get back our warriors, war prisoners, but we can’t exchange them [for] the children,” he told CBS News.
“We can’t exchange civilians.”
He argued that international law provides special protections for children and that their return should not be treated as part of military negotiations.
Sanctions debate
According to CBS News, Zelensky linked the issue to ongoing discussions in Washington about sanctions on Russia.
He cited findings from the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale University, which reported that Russian state-owned energy companies helped finance programs involving deported Ukrainian children.
“I hope that Congress will find the possibility again to put sanctions on Russians, because of the children,” Zelensky said.
Ukraine has documented at least 20,000 cases of children allegedly taken to Russia, though Kyiv believes the true number may be significantly higher.
Sources: CBS News
