Stolen Generations: A Systematic Violation of Ukraine's Future
Eurochild member Emile Foundation contributed to a new report revealing the mechanisms used by Russia to deport, indoctrinate and erase the identity of Ukrainian children.
The Foundation provided logistical support in the field, facilitated access to the families concerned, collected testimonies, documented violations and shared crucial information from its operations in Ukraine and abroad.
The report was written by Megan Gittoes, a war crimes expert and Associate Fellow at GLOBSEC, a world-renowned think-tank on security, democratic resilience and foreign affairs. The publication was unveiled at the GLOBSEC 2025 Forum in Prague, an annual gathering of more than 2,000 decision-makers from 70 countries to debate major geopolitical issues.
Key findings of the report
- At least 19,546 Ukrainian children have been deported or forcibly transferred, according to the Ukrainiens authorities.
- Children are often registered as Russian citizens and have their names changed before being placed with Russian families or in institutions.
- Falsified documents and new birth certificates are issued to conceal their origins.
- Ideological re-education is omnipresent: Russian school curricula, Kremlin celebrations, military indoctrination.
- More than 1.6 million children live under Russian occupation in Ukraine, in more than 500 schools under the yoke of the army and indoctrination.
- Attempts to repatriate them are rare, risky and often blocked.
- Repatriated children are often traumatised, unable to speak Ukrainian or showing signs of loyalty to their captors.
- Russia particularly targets vulnerable children, such as those with disabilities.
- Specific cases illustrate this reality, such as that of Margarita, adopted under a false identity in Russia.
- Russia offers incentives for the adoption of these children, and this policy has been described as a crime involving elements of genocide.
Recommendations
- Create a robust international mechanism for the return of deported children
- Strengthen targeted sanctions against Russian political and institutional leaders
- Increase international judicial cooperation and legal recognition of the crimes committed.
Further information: email Olena Kalabania, Emile Foundation Communication Manager
