The Russian occupation administration continues to exploit Ukrainian children in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) to support its military operations. According to a report by the National Resistance Center, more than 200 Ukrainian children were forced into a propaganda military campaign in occupied Berdyansk, Zaporizhzhia oblast. Held at the former “Krasnaya Gvozdika” (Red Carnation) youth camp under the guise of an event called “Day of the First,” children were coerced into manufacturing hygiene products, specifically “dry showers,” and other basic supplies for the Russian soldiers actively participating in the invasion of Ukraine.
This incident exposes a systematic campaign of forced militarization of Ukrainian youth under occupation. Moscow attempts to frame these activities as “volunteerism” and “patriotic education” to present a facade of grassroots support. In reality, it constitutes a severe violation of international humanitarian law, particularly the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. Exploiting minors for the logistical needs of an occupying army is a clear form of forced labor and psychological pressure.
The militarization of children in the occupied regions serves a dual purpose for the Kremlin. First, it addresses minor logistical shortages in field units through child labor. Second, and more dangerously, it is a deliberate effort to erase Ukrainian identity. By enrolling children in paramilitary youth organizations like “Yunarmiya” or the “Movement of the First,” Moscow aims to indoctrinate the younger generation, fostering a positive attitude toward the occupying forces and normalizing the war.
Human rights organizations emphasize that such systematic actions violate the basic rights of children, turning them into tools of war propaganda. The scale of these violations, alongside the forced deportation of thousands of minors, remains a core element of the international legal cases against the Russian regime, including the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court. Ukrainian law enforcement is actively documenting these activities, and local collaborators assisting in the militarization of children will eventually face justice for their involvement in these war crimes.