Mobilization of Ukrainian children in the temporarily occupied territories: Graduates of cadet classes and participants in youth movements sent to fight against Ukraine

russia continues to use militarized education in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, particularly in Crimea, to prepare a mobilization reserve. There are already cases where graduates of cadet classes, upon reaching the age of 18, are illegally conscripted into the ranks of the russian army and sent to fight against their own country.

This was discussed during the presentation at the Media Center Ukraine of the analytical report “The russian federation’s Policy on the Eradication of Children’s Identity in the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine: 2024 Overview”.

According to Mariia Sulialina, head of the Center of Civil Education Almenda, there are numerous facts pointing to this, including the installation of memorial plaques in schools in the occupied territories. These plaques commemorate those who studied in cadet classes as children, participated in pro-russian youth movements, became soldiers in the occupying army when they grew up, and died in the war. 

“The question remains how many children who have already graduated from high school, who are now 18 years old, have been illegally drafted into the armed forces of the occupying country and have already participated in the war against their own country. We have tried to find this data, but unfortunately we have not been able to do so. However, we know that such cases exist. There is a practice of putting up memorial plaques in schools in the temporarily occupied territories, and on these memorial plaques there are individuals who were children at the time of the occupation, who were involved in various movements or cadet classes, and who died in this war against their own country,” the expert said.

Mariia Sulialina added: “This also indicates that we are not simply saying that russia is preparing a mobilization reserve, because we already have examples of these children being used in the war against their country at the age of 18.”

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