Yale Researchers Allege Russia is Indoctrinating and Militarily Training Ukrainian Children
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – A new report from the Yale humanitarian Research Lab alleges Russia is systematically indoctrinating and providing military training to Ukrainian children forcibly transferred from occupied territories. The research, published Thursday, details evidence suggesting Ukrainian children are being integrated into Russian society through patriotic education and, in some cases, exposed to military training as young as 14.
The findings add a disturbing new layer to accusations of war crimes leveled against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine estimates nearly 20,000 children have been forcibly deported to Russia as the start of the war, and insists their return must be a central component of any future peace negotiations. The report underscores the long-term consequences of the conflict, raising concerns about the psychological and physical well-being of these children and the potential for a lost generation radicalized by Russian ideology.
The Yale researchers identified a network of at least 43 facilities across Russia – including boarding schools, sanatoriums, and military academies – where Ukrainian children are being held. The study details how these children are subjected to pro-Russian propaganda, taught a distorted version of ukrainian history, and in some instances, receive basic military training, including weapons handling and tactical drills. Researchers found evidence of children being prepared for service in youth paramilitary organizations.
“We are seeing a systematic effort to erase Ukrainian identity and integrate these children into Russian society,” said Dr. Nathaniel Raymond, lead researcher and director of the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab. “This isn’t simply about providing shelter; it’s about ideological indoctrination and, in some cases, preparing them for military service.”
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his commissioner for children’s rights, Maria Lvova-belova, for the alleged unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia, classifying it as a war crime. Russia does not recognize the ICC and dismisses the charges, claiming it is rescuing children from the front lines and that reported numbers are inflated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced plans to address the issue of missing Ukrainian children during the upcoming U.N. General Assembly meeting. The Yale Humanitarian Research Lab’s future is currently uncertain after the Trump administration canceled the Conflict Observatory program, which funded its work. Funding has been temporarily extended through January thanks to private donations.
