Author: Kyiv Center for Defense Policy

Since the 2014 annexation of Crimea, Russia has systematically militarized Ukrainian children in occupied territories through programs that combine ideological indoctrination and combat training. Schools enforce Russian curricula, erasing Ukrainian identity, while children are subjected to daily propaganda, military parades, and activities glorifying Russian soldiers. These multifaceted efforts aim to mould children as young as 8 into instruments of Russia’s war machine, stripping them of their identities, and ultimately sending them to fight against their homeland.