Ukrainian children may be sent to re-education camps by Russia from the age of four months, according to a US study that points to 43 such camps. The researchers see evidence of "war crimes and a crime against humanity".
According to a US study, Russia has sent at least 6,000 Ukrainian children to re-education camps, possibly committing war crimes. Experts identify 43 such camps in Russia and Russia's annexed Crimea peninsula in a Yale Humanitarian Research Lab report released on Tuesday.
Children as young as four months old have been taken to Russian camps since Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine began almost a year ago, according to the study funded by the US State Department. The aim is, among other things, "pro-Russian patriotic" and military-style education. In some cases, children received firearms training. However, there is no indication that the children were sent to war.
Yale researcher Nathaniel Raymond said Russia's actions constitute a "clear violation" of the Fourth Geneva Convention for the Protection of Civilians in War. In some cases, it could amount to "a war crime and a crime against humanity." Raymond likened the Russian actions to kidnappings. The authors of the study call for independent observers to have access to the camps and for an end to Russian adoptions of Ukrainian children.
The study is based, among other things, on the evaluation of satellite images. Accordingly, the actual number of Ukrainian children brought to the camp is likely to be "significantly higher" than the at least 6,000 identified.
Ukraine recently said more than 14,700 children had been deported from the country to Russia. Some have been victims of sexual abuse. Russia claims to take care of orphans and want to provide medical care for children. The Russian army invaded Ukraine on February 24.
