Kathrine Frich
Some estimates suggest the real number could be as high as 35,000.
Some estimates suggest the real number could be as high as 35,000.
Putin’s Stolen Children Sent to War
British intelligence reports reveal a chilling update on Russia’s abduction of Ukrainian children.
Once they turn 18, many are being forced to don Russian khakis and fight against their own people.
Officials warn these young victims are being turned into soldiers for Putin’s war machine.
Tens of Thousands Kidnapped
Since the invasion began, more than 19,500 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russia.
Some estimates suggest the real number could be as high as 35,000.
Many of them disappear into so-called “re-education camps,” where they face indoctrination and harsh treatment.
Brutal “Re-Education” Camps
Survivors have described being beaten, starved, and banned from speaking Ukrainian.
They were forced to sing the Russian anthem and told their parents had “abandoned” them.
Human Rights Watch has documented these practices, which aim to erase Ukrainian identity and replace it with loyalty to Moscow.
ICC Warrants Against Putin
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in 2023 for Vladimir Putin and his children’s commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova over these abductions.
Despite the charges, the deportations have continued, with thousands of children funneled through camps across Russia.
Britain’s Chilling Intelligence Update
The UK Ministry of Defence said kidnapped children are made to take a “direct part” in the war once they reach adulthood.
Its report noted:
“The Russian senior leadership almost certainly views, at least in part, abducted Ukrainian children as a potential source of both current, and future personnel for the Russian military.”
Little Objection Expected in Russia
The MOD added that deaths of these conscripted children would spark “minimal if any objection” from the Russian public.
Many citizens remain unaware the abductions are happening, while the Kremlin continues to describe them as a “humanitarian” relocation.
Illia’s Story of Survival
One boy, Illia, was deported from Mariupol after a missile strike killed his mother.
At just nine years old, he was taken to Donetsk, where shrapnel was removed without anaesthetic and he was forced to speak Russian.
Later reunited with his grandmother in Ukraine, Illia dreams of becoming a combat medic.
Ukrainian Voices of Warning
Maksym Maksymov of Bring Kids Back UA condemned Russia’s actions:
“Even we are appalled by the deliberate cruelty and disconnection from reality when it comes to the fate of our stolen children.”
Presidential aide Daria Zarivna warned these brainwashed youths could become a “weapon” not only against Ukraine but also Europe.
