Today, June 1, the Deputy Permanent Representative, Denys Chystikov, participated in the panel discussion Deportation, Return, Protection, and Reintegration of Children, which took place as part of the forum titled  “Protecting Children’s Rights During Wartime” held in the city of Irpin.

The discussion also featured participation by Oksana Cherviakova, Representative of the Commissioner for Children’s Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; Kateryna Rashevska, a member of the Interdepartmental Commission on the Application and Implementation of International Humanitarian Law in Ukraine and the Expert Network of the Crimean Platform; Iryna Tuliakova, Head of the Coordination Center for the Development of Family Upbringing and Child Care; and Onisiia Syniuk, Legal Analyst at the ZMINA Human Rights Center.

In his speech, the Deputy Permanent Representative emphasized the systemic policy of the Russian occupiers aimed at eradicating the Ukrainian identity of children in the temporarily occupied territories. He drew attention to the militarization of the children’s environment, the use of minors in propaganda and as instruments of war, particularly through cadet classes, paramilitary camps, and pseudo-patriotic “education.” He also highlighted that the propaganda is disguised as so-called “recreation,” which in reality prepares children to carry out tasks for the occupation regime. Additionally, he noted that the occupation administration uses children and child care facilities as human shields to cover military sites, which constitutes a gross violation of international humanitarian law.

Denys Chystikov also noted that one of the key tools of the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea is the imposition of Russian educational standards. Specifically, the occupiers are actively recruiting teachers from Russian regions and imposing curricula that deny the existence of the Ukrainian nation, justify aggression against Ukraine, and shape a distorted understanding of history among children.

“We are fully aware of how many children remain in the temporarily occupied territories. This has been ongoing for over 11 years. Often, these children know nothing about Ukraine; instead, they grow up under the influence of propaganda. The task of the state and all Ukrainian society is to do everything possible to help these children, who move to government-controlled territory, to integrate, feel supported, and develop a sense of belonging to Ukraine,” emphasized Denys Chystikov.

In concluding his remarks, the Deputy Permanent Representative noted that since the beginning of Russian aggression and occupation in 2014, Ukraine has systematically worked to ensure access to education for children from the temporarily occupied territories. He recalled the creation of the Crimea-Ukraine and Donbas-Ukraine educational centers, the Ukrainian International School, and other programs that have enabled thousands of children to enroll in Ukrainian universities.

The event was organized by the Irpin Youth Parliament with the support of the Irpin City Council, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the international organization UNICEF, the civic organization UA Experts, and the charitable foundation of Oleksandr Pashchynskyi.