Anna Hartz
Ukrainian Students in Crimea Under Surveillance at School
Children’s daily lives are under constant surveillance, and even personal devices can become tools for control. In Russian-occupied Crimea, students are now facing such pressures in their schools.
Checking the Children’s Phones
According to the Center for Countering Disinformation, occupation authorities are checking students’ mobile phones for signs of a pro-Ukrainian position, reports The Kyiv Independent.
They look for banned apps, VPN services, and even the Ukrainian language in phone settings. The inspections are carried out by representatives of the occupation administration alongside Russian military personnel.
Raiding Schools
The center said activists from Ukrainian movements in occupied areas have reported these practices. They described school raids where children’s phones are examined.
Authorities may subject students and their families to further checks if a Ukrainian keyboard is found. Parents can be called in for questioning.
More Than Just Surveillance
Under Russian occupation, Ukrainian children face more than just surveillance. Reports show that more than half of them have been subjected to indoctrination.
Some have faced torture and sexual violence. Save Ukraine and War Child U.K. released a report on September 11 detailing these abuses.
Control and Ideological Pressure
The Center for Countering Disinformation called the phone checks a tool of total control and ideological pressure.
They said the goal is to erase Ukrainian identity and force loyalty to the Russian regime. The center stressed that the inspections are not about security but about intimidation.
Arrest Warrant for Putin
Russia has used many measures to monitor civilians in occupied territories. Filtration camps and online databases track Ukrainian children.
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Children’s Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova. They were charged over the abduction of Ukrainian children.
Online Directory of Ukrainian Children
According to Mykola Kuleba, CEO of Save Ukraine, occupation authorities have created an online directory of Ukrainian children offered for adoption.
The listings sort children by physical traits such as eye and hair color. Some parents were killed, and others were forced to accept Russian identification documents. Experts have condemned this as child trafficking.
The situation in Crimea shows how children in occupied territories are targeted for control and intimidation. Surveillance, forced loyalty, and cultural erasure have become part of daily life for young Ukrainians under occupation.
This article is made and published by Anna Hartz, which may have used AI in the preparation
