At UK Parliament, Bring Kids Back UA calls to counter Russia’s indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children

On 11 November, a briefing for members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords on Russia's indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children was held in the UK Parliament, chaired by Johanna Baxter MP. Bring Kids Back UA, an initiative of the President of Ukraine, was presented by its Head, Maksym Maksymov.The briefing also heard from Vladyslav, who was held in Russian captivity at the age of 16, and Olena Rozvadovska, co-founder of the Voices of Children Foundation. 

Ukraine has verified 20,651 cases of unlawful deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia. Around 1.6 million children remain in the temporarily occupied territories, where Russia systematically pursues a policy of indoctrination and militarisation. Ukraine has managed to bring 2 808 children home. 

"Russia has built a pipeline that begins with propaganda in kindergarten, continues through militarised education and paramilitary programmes, and prepares children for service in the Russian army. This system is designed to turn Ukrainian children into manpower for the Russian war machine. That is why countering it is a security issue not only for Ukraine," said Maksym Maksymov, Head of Bring Kids Back UA.

 Vladyslav described how the occupation of Melitopol reached his school and how he spent 90 days in captivity for refusing to submit. "Help Ukraine bring its children home. Don't let Russia steal an entire generation of our children," he told parliamentarians.

Olena Rozvadovska stressed that reintegration is a long-term process of restoring a child's safety, trust and right to determine their own future, and therefore requires stable, multi-year funding. She added that children and young people must be involved in every decision that affects them. 

Bring Kids Back UA thanked the United Kingdom for its leadership in efforts to return Ukrainian children: £7 million for the search, return and reintegration of children; sanctions against 44 individuals and 15 entities involved in violating the rights of Ukrainian children; and support for the Bring Kids Back UA initiative from more than 100 parliamentarians.

Bring Kids Back UA also outlined how Parliament can continue to support Ukrainian children:

• keep the return of Ukrainian children and countering their indoctrination and militarisation by Russia on Parliament's agenda;

• support multi-year funding for the search, return and reintegration of children;

• expand sanctions against those responsible for these violations and coordinate sanctions with international partners;

• support investigations by Ukraine's national law enforcement agencies and the International Criminal Court;

• insist on the unconditional return of children as part of any peace negotiations. 

“Ukrainians are defending not only their own freedom, but the rest of Europe’s, against the Kremlin’s appetite for coercive power. Tens of thousands of children have been stolen, and 1.6 million live under horrific conditions in occupied territories. Russia’s indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children is a deliberate attempt to sever their ties with their families, language and country. Ukraine cannot address this alone. We must deliver sustainable funding, accountability and concrete action to return every child home. This is a shared responsibility!” emphasised Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, Special Envoy of the Council of Europe Secretary General on the Situation of Children of Ukraine.