The return of Ukrainian children from the TOT is an extremely difficult process: Main Intelligence Directorate
Ukrainian children, who ended up in the temporarily occupied territories, are one of the most vulnerable groups that are subjected to brutal oppression and persecution by the Russian authorities. This is stated in the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. According to the statements, children are victims of an aggressive policy aimed at depriving them of their Ukrainian identity and assimilating them into Russian society. In the conditions of hostilities and occupation, the fate of many Ukrainian children remains at risk, and their voice and rights are often ignored. The Russian Federation uses a whole arsenal of methods aimed at kidnapping, forced deportation and ideological processing of the younger generation, which poses a serious threat to the national security of Ukraine.
Statement by Vadym Skibitskyi
The representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Vadym Skibitsky, speaking at the forum “Genocidal practices of the Russian Federation in Ukraine: from the Holodomor to the Russian-Ukrainian war”, noted, that Russia uses about fifty special programs to destroy Ukrainian self-identity among children and youth. These programs are part of a large-scale strategy aimed at assimilating Ukrainian children into Russian society, depriving them of their national memory, and integrating them into the Russian propaganda system.
“The removal of our children began allegedly for rest, for treatment, for education, and then they were transferred to Russian families, so that they could then be fully assimilated into Russian propaganda, into Russian society. […] It is very difficult to release Ukrainian children” , – said Vadym Skibitskyi.
According to him, in fact, these measures have a different purpose: after the children are transferred to the territory of Russia, they are transferred to Russian families. In these new conditions, they are subjected to intensive ideological processing aimed at the complete erasure of their Ukrainian identity. Thus, children are integrated into Russian society, separating them from Ukrainian roots, culture and language.
Return of abducted children
The return of abducted children is an extremely difficult and painful process.
“We literally bring units back: each child must be literally plucked from the claws of this three-headed dragon,” – emphasized Skibitsky.
According to him, each case requires titanic efforts on the part of Ukrainian state bodies, human rights defenders and international organizations. One often has to face the opposition of the Russian authorities, which deliberately complicate the process of return, using children as a tool of political blackmail.
The main intelligence department of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that, together with other state institutions, systematic work is being carried out to document Russia’s crimes against Ukrainian children. All possible facts that can be used as evidence in international courts are collected. Ukraine calls on the international community to actively participate in solving this humanitarian crisis, stressing that the abduction and assimilation of children is a form of genocide.
The ministry emphasizes that Russia’s actions aimed at forcibly depriving children of their national identity are not only a violation of international law, but also a profound moral crime against humanity. The abduction of children has far-reaching consequences for the Ukrainian nation, because the young generation is the bearer of culture, language and historical memory. Fighting for the return of children means fighting for the future of Ukraine, preserving its identity and values. Ukrainian society, despite all difficulties, continues to fight for its children, finding support in the world and believing in justice.
Vadym Skibitskyi also reported that there is a section on the “War and Sanctions” portal to inform Ukrainian society and the world community “Child kidnappers” where the data on “perpetrators of these genocidal practices of the Russian Federation” are given.
