Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, there has been a systematic policy of forcibly deporting Ukrainian children to Russia, with nearly 20,000 confirmed cases. These actions have been described as efforts to erase religious communities and justify the seizure of properties by labeling evangelical Christians in occupied areas as extremists. Reports and testimonies highlight the brutal impact on religious and faith communities, with children being particularly affected. Some individuals, including the head of a Christian orphanage, have taken significant risks to protect and evacuate these children to safety.
“I had to tell the 10-year-old orphan that he could no longer draw the #Ukrainian flag. If he persisted, both his teacher and I could be killed.” How does it feel to be a pro-Ukrainian child while under #Russian occupation? Read Yelyzaveta’s story: 🔗 https://t.co/hfGlWIw6Vs https://t.co/2limHM17HB
“I had to tell the 10-year-old orphan that he could no longer draw the #Ukrainian flag. If he persisted, both his teacher and I could be killed.” How does it feel to be a pro-Ukrainian child while under #Russian occupation? Read the Yelyzaveta’s story: 🔗https://t.co/hfGlWIw6Vs
This is an underreported story. The systematic kidnapping of Ukrainian children as state policy. How is there not more international condemnation? https://t.co/yFUMmvkUYX
Since its invasion, Russia has sought to characterize evangelical Christians in occupied Ukraine as extremists to justify the seizure of their property and the erasure of religious communities. @SimonOstrovsky reports with support from @PulitzerCenter. https://t.co/VMLTBGtDxo
Having been to #Ukraine, and having interviewed numerous clergy and religious there as well as human rights observers, I find these assertions utterly at odds with the reality of #Russia’s broad, brutal and genocidal persecution of faith communities in occupied areas of #Ukraine. https://t.co/9XBHLLh1Hl
After Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022, some 20,000 Ukrainian children were forcefully moved to Russia. With @PulitzerCenter support, watch part of @SimonOstrovsky's conversation with the head of a Christian orphanage who took matters into his own hands to get kids to safety. https://t.co/ZHFSPWuV9E
Russia targets Ukrainian children in forced deportations. Ukraine confirms nearly 20,000 cases, but the true number is likely higher. These numbers hide shattered families. This is Ilya's story, a Mariupol boy. https://t.co/1mmxQTMzUr