The war has brought Ukraine much pain and suffering, and one of the greatest losses is the abduction and deportation of children. This is especially critical against the backdrop of worsening demography and the loss of many young men and women. Russia is pursuing a targeted policy of abducting and Russifying Ukrainian children.
A striking example is the story of Pylyp from Mariupol. Russian children's rights ombudswoman Maria Lvova-Belova, who is under an International Criminal Court warrant for child abduction, openly describes in interviews how she "re-educated" Pylyp: breaking his psyche, eradicating his Ukrainian identity, and imposing Russian culture, all under the guise of maternal care.
After losing his mother, Pylyp lived with guardians. Following the capture of Mariupol, he was taken first to Donetsk, then to a sanatorium near Moscow, and in June 2022, was adopted by Lvova-Belova. By September, he received a Russian passport. She recounts his resistance to Russification: he sang in Ukrainian, read about Ukraine, and reminded younger children of his roots. Lvova-Belova explicitly details the psychological and emotional pressure used to break his resistance.
According to her statements, this practice is systemic. Ukrainian data confirms at least 19,546 children have been deported, while Russia claims up to 700,000. Many end up in special facilities where Ukrainian language is forbidden, Russian propaganda is enforced, and military training provided. Some are forcibly placed in Russian families, their documents and names changed, erasing any trace of their Ukrainian origin. Forced Russification has become an institutional policy towards Ukrainian children in occupied territories and Russia itself.
Statistics are reinforced by stories of changed names and identities. Online adoption catalogs, family separations, and re-education via military organizations form part of the system. The Kremlin continues funding such programs to foster loyalty and prepare children to participate in military actions against Ukraine.
Such actions violate international law, but Moscow persists. From autumn 2025, the Ukrainian language is banned in schools on occupied territories. Over 2 million Ukrainian children are at continued risk of deportation, Russification, and psychological pressure by the Russian state.
In conclusion, these are not isolated incidents but part of a large-scale policy to erase national identity and break families. Each forcibly deported child is a tragedy, but also a call to continue fighting for their freedom and the restoration of Ukrainian identity.
