Ukrainian Diplomat Accuses Russia of Forcibly Taking and Indoctrinating Children

A Ukrainian diplomat has made grave allegations regarding the treatment of children from Ukraine who have been taken to Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion. According to Viktor Maiko, approximately 744,000 children have been moved from Ukrainian territory to Russia.

Maiko stated that nearly 95% of these children were forced to leave their homeland. He described their current living conditions as extremely difficult, comparing them to those of homeless individuals.

The core accusation centers on a systematic campaign of ideological indoctrination. The diplomat claims the children are subjected to intense propaganda aimed at erasing their Ukrainian identity. They are reportedly told that Ukraine does not exist as a country and that they are not Ukrainian. Speaking the Ukrainian language is allegedly forbidden.

"They tell them there is no such country, no such language, no such history," Maiko said. "They are told, 'You are Russian, you must speak Russian, sing Russian songs,' and so on."

He cited testimonies from hundreds of children who have been returned to Ukraine after passing through Russian institutions. According to these accounts, most live in internats—boarding facilities—where they are forcibly resettled and subjected to this alleged brainwashing program designed to strip them of their national heritage.