Monitoring report “Universal Soldier” or Education as the Weapon of Russia In the Occupied South of Ukraine
After the beginning of the temporary occupation of Ukrainian territories, the Russian Federation established total control over all spheres of life in the occupied areas and, through the occupation administrations it created, has been systematically imposing its own political, cultural, religious, and educational narratives. Particular attention is directed at children and young people. Through formal and non-formal education, summer “recreational” programmes, leisure and cultural activities, the occupation authorities deliberately destroy the Ukrainian identity of minors and prepare them for service to the aggressor state.
Open-source monitoring for the period of July–September 2025 shows that the summer period—traditionally meant for children’s rest—was used by Russia for intensive military training: children underwent firearms, tactical, and engineering preparation in camps supervised by Russian military personnel, took part in paramilitary games, visited military facilities, and met with so-called “heroes of the special military operation.”
From 1 September 2025, new unified history textbooks (World History and History of Russia) for grades 5–9 were introduced in the temporarily occupied territories; teacher retraining began to ensure the “correct” delivery of Russian narratives, and the policy of forced passportisation intensified, accompanied by public oath-taking ceremonies pledging allegiance to the Russian Federation.
Under the guise of “patriotic upbringing”, “recreation”, and “educational trips”, Ukrainian children are systematically taken to the Russian Federation and to the TOT of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, where they undergo ideological indoctrination, are forced to adopt a Russian identity, exposed to the glorification of Russian soldiers, and taught to perceive Ukraine as a hostile state.
The Centre of civil education “Almenda” emphasises that these actions constitute a grave violation of international law, including Articles 50 and 51 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, Articles 29, 38, and 39 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and Article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits war propaganda.
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.
