On 4 June, Media Center Ukraine hosted an open media briefing dedicated to the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, a day aimed at highlighting the violence that children face across the globe. Ukrainian children have now endured over 11 years of war, occupation, and repression.

Participants included Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko; human rights advocate and policy director of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, Oleksandra Dvoretska; National Advocacy Director at the Centre for Civic Education “Almenda,” Valentyna Potapova; and public figure Leviza Dzhelyal. The event was moderated by Media Center Ukraine’s Communications Manager, Svitlana Chepurenko.

In her address, Permanent Representative Kuryshko stressed that the occupation administration deliberately exploits childhood as a tool for ideological influence, propagating its message from the earliest ages. She highlighted concerning trends gaining momentum in Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories:

“Today, children under occupation are forced to grow up amidst a war cult. In Crimea, militaristic programs targeting children begin in kindergarten—with so‑called ‘orliata’—and expand into schools through ‘cadet classes’ and the ‘Yunarmiya.’ Participation in these programs is often compulsory: children are enrolled without parental consent, made to wear military uniforms, march, write letters to soldiers, and collect ‘gifts’ for the front. They are taken to events where adults in camouflage teach them about ‘heroism’ and ‘fighting the enemy.’”

The Permanent Representative emphasized that the actual tragedy involves a change in the internal state of children.. 

“They are forced to monitor their behavior and speech, avoid speaking Ukrainian—else their families may face repression. This leads to a phenomenon that might be called ‘internal exile’—when a child feels alien in their own home. When being Ukrainian becomes grounds for bullying, suspicion, and surveillance. When even displaying national symbols can lead to so-called ‘preventive’ questioning. Under these conditions, Ukrainian childhood becomes a hostage of the occupying ideology.”

During the briefing, Oleksandra Dvoretska emphasized the difficulty of documenting crimes against children due to restricted access to occupied territories. She noted that Russia’s policy systematically combines deportation, militarization, and destruction of identity:

“We have only fragments of the truth about what is happening to children in occupied areas. One documented case of death is all that Ukrainian investigators were able to record. But the real number of dead or maimed children in Horlivka or Mariupol remains unknown—because we still lack access. We have also documented deportations—such as children aged zero to five taken from a Kherson orphanage through Crimea. The Bring Kids Back UA initiative was launched to respond to these crimes, working across five areas: identifying, verifying, repatriating children, supporting them post-return, and pursuing legal justice. These are not just tragedies—they are war crimes.”

Valentyna Potapova underscored that Crimea has been used as a testing ground for methods of cultural erasure and ideological indoctrination now being applied elsewhere. She highlighted how educational content, textbooks, cultural codes, and media messaging are being deliberately reshaped to influence children’s perception:

“Crimea has become an experimental site for implementing the ‘Russian World’ ideology—and in 2022 we saw those methods scaled up. In schools, the concept of a ‘Ukrainian people’ has disappeared—replaced with ‘Ukrainian population.’ Seventh-grade history textbooks now portray the tsar as a benevolent figure and blame all societal ills on feudal lords, framing dictatorship as caring. Older students are taught to explore ‘why departing from democracy can be beneficial.’ This creates loyalty to authoritarianism. Sadly, this cultural genocide remains outside meaningful international accountability. Children are the primary target—they are the axis around which this ideological battle spins.”

Leviza Dzhelyal spoke from personal experience, drawing attention to the profound humanitarian crisis caused by political repression in occupied Crimea. She noted that children, despite having no political affiliation, are among the first to suffer, often as collateral damage:

“Today in Crimea, repression is not only directed at activists, but also at their families—most critically, children. Families are torn apart; many children are left without parents due to political arrests, some gravely ill. Arrests happen at dawn, under armed guard, in turbulent conditions—glass shattering, screams, guns in doorways. The result: trauma, anxiety, depression, and poverty. Social stigma follows—children are labeled ‘terrorists’ because of their parents. They lose both parents and emotional support. Thanks to community initiatives and supportive individuals, these children receive care, find solidarity, attend camps, regain their hope. But the world must know about them. They didn’t choose this childhood; they deserve more than pity—they deserve solidarity, care, and protection.”

In her closing remarks, Permanent Representative Kuryshko emphasized that the Russian Federation has used the occupation to legitimize its crimes. They have launched propaganda campaigns abroad to distort the situation in Crimea and other regions. Meanwhile, the occupation administration tightly controls education, removing Ukrainian language and history from the curriculum.

This event was hosted by the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Media Center Ukraine, with support from the Bring Kids Back UA initiative.

We thank media representatives for their interest in the issue of Crimea and their focus on safeguarding the rights of children who have suffered from Russian aggression for 11 years.

Photo credits: the Mission; Media Center Ukraine.