Camilla Jessen
Russia is preparing to transfer around 53,000 Ukrainian children from occupied territories to summer camps across Russia.
Russia plans to relocate more than 53,000 children from occupied regions of Ukraine to summer camps across Russian-controlled territory and mainland Russia, under what officials describe as a holiday program.
Analysts warn the initiative is part of a broader campaign of forced deportation and indoctrination.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on April 29 that a Kremlin official publicly confirmed the plan, which coincides with preparations for Russia’s Victory Day on May 9—a national holiday increasingly used to promote pro-Kremlin narratives in occupied areas.
Ukrainian officials and international human rights observers have repeatedly condemned such transfers, arguing they violate international law and amount to the unlawful deportation of minors.
Forced Integration and Ideological Influence
The latest wave of child relocations appears aimed at deepening Russia’s control over occupied territories through cultural assimilation and ideological messaging.
Victory Day celebrations have become a tool for Moscow to reshape historical memory and reinforce Russian identity among residents in occupied Ukrainian regions.
Russia is also advancing efforts to institutionalize its hold over these areas.
According to ISW, Moscow has begun redrawing electoral boundaries to incorporate occupied Ukrainian territories into Russia’s political system—a move widely seen as an attempt to formalize the annexation of land internationally recognized as part of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy Pushes for Child Repatriation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for increased international pressure on Russia to return abducted Ukrainian children.
He recently handed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa a list of 400 children believed to have been forcibly transferred from occupied areas.
The deportation of Ukrainian children by Russian forces has drawn global criticism since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in 2023 for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova over the unlawful transfer of minors.