Monitoring Report “Universal Soldier”, or The Activities of Russian Children’s and Youth Movements in the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine. Monitoring report
The scale and systematic nature of the activities of Russian children’s and youth structures in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine indicate the implementation of a targeted state policy of the Russian Federation aimed at the assimilation and russification of Ukrainian children. Through a network of ideologised movements, so-called “volunteer” initiatives, and pseudo-patriotic programmes, the occupation authorities create a controlled environment in which Ukrainian identity is consistently marginalised, while children are integrated into the Russian political, cultural, and educational space.
A key instrument of this policy is the use of children’s and youth movements for the indoctrination of minors, the formation of loyalty to the occupation authorities, and the cultivation of readiness to support the actions of the aggressor state, including armed aggression against Ukraine. Through the imposition of Russian historical and cultural narratives, militarised practices, and the cult of so-called “SMO veterans”, the occupation administrations foster in children a sense of belonging to the “Russian world” and systematically dismantle the Ukrainian education system, language, historical memory, and national symbols.
Under these conditions, children’s and youth organisations effectively perform the functions of a parallel “upbringing vertical”, complementing the school system controlled by the Russian Federation and operating as a separate channel of militarised socialisation. It is precisely through these structures that children are involved in propaganda events, military-patriotic competitions and camps, actions in support of the Russian army, and ceremonial activities designed to consolidate their identity as “citizens of Russia”.
The purpose of this monitoring report is to present an up-to-date picture of the size, territorial coverage, and operational mechanisms of the largest-scale Russian children’s and youth structures operating in the temporarily occupied territories, as well as to identify practices that may constitute violations of international humanitarian law, the rights of the child, and generally recognised standards in the field of education.
The documented activities are not incidental or sporadic. They constitute an element of a systematic policy of the Russian Federation aimed at altering the identity of Ukrainian children and preparing them to serve as a future mobilisation resource for the aggressor state.
Monitoring Report prepared by the Almenda Center for Civic Education as part of the project “Defending childhood: justice & reintegration for children from TOT”. The project is implemented with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic within the framework of the Transition Promotion Program. The views expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not reflect the official position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.
