Recent findings suggest that Ukrainian children are being abducted by Russian forces and utilized as tools in military camps, as per a new study. These children are reportedly sent to over 200 camps within Vladimir Putin’s country, where they are subjected to rigorous training and forced labor.
Disturbing images captured by satellites indicate that the children are compelled to construct drones and other equipment for potential use against Ukraine. Allegedly as young as eight years old, these vulnerable youngsters are instructed in fire and naval training techniques.
A study conducted by the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health has revealed that some children are engaged in shooting and grenade-throwing competitions, while others undergo training in tactical medicine, drone operation, and strategic maneuvers.
The report from the Humanitarian Research Lab, shared with the United Nations Security Council, also highlights that children from Donetsk have been subjected to airborne training. Approximately 40 out of the 210 locations have been identified as conducting this type of training, including summer camps, monasteries, and sanatoriums.
Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Mariana Betsa has condemned the enslavement of these children as a war crime, denouncing Russia’s exploitation of vulnerable minors for military purposes. She emphasized the violation of international humanitarian law in recruiting and deploying children in armed conflicts.
Notably, Russia has been implicated in such atrocities dating back to 2014, but escalated actions have been observed since the onset of the conflict with Ukraine. Ukrainian official Mariana expressed concern that Russia is using Ukrainian children as tools against their own country, aiming to erase Ukrainian identity through Russification and militarization.
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