Latest news with #Luhansk
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
How Russians dey force Ukrainian children to love Russia
For occupied areas of eastern Ukraine, dem dey teach pikin early to love Russia. For one nursery school for Luhansk, ova 70 young children line up and hold one long black and orange Russia military banner for di shape of letter Z, wey be di symbol of Russia invasion of Ukraine. Across di city, seven small girls dey jump up and down and point to Russian flag to di song, "I am Russian" wey dey play from loudspeakers. Wen di music come stop, dem go shout to gada: "I be Russian." For one occupied town wey dem dey call Anthracite, nursery school pikin dem don make trench candles and blankets for Russian sojas. Na all part of one campaign wey no just wan erase Ukraine national identity, but also wan turn young Ukrainians against dia own kontri. To do dat wit children, you need teachers and many Ukrainian teachers don run, di goment for Moscow don dey offer lump amount of 2m roubles (£18,500) to Russian teachers wey like relocate to di occupied parts of Ukraine. Di biggest and most powerful Russian organisation wey get hand inside na Yunarmia (Youth Army). Dem dey linked wit di Russian defence ministry and dem dey accept members wey dey as young as eight years old. Dem dey work throughout Russia and now get branches for di occupied areas of Ukraine. Fidal Bikbulatov wey dey run di Yunarmia section for di occupied areas for di Zaporizhzhia region for south-east Ukraine. Bikbulatov bin dey deployed from Russia Bashkortostan wia e bin dey head di "Youth Guard" division of di ruling United Russia party. Education, military training dey part of how Russia dey indoctrinate Ukraine children Di EU don sanction Yunarmia and Bikbulatov gan-gan say dem dey "militarize Ukrainian pikin dem". Yunarmia also dey targeted by UK sanctions say dem dey part of Russia campaign to "brainwash" Ukrainian pikin dem. No be only Yunarmia dey rum am. Oda Russian sponsored organisations wey don enta include "Movement of di First Ones" and "Warrior", wey be network of centres for "di military and athletic training and patriotic education of young pipo" wey di orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin set up. Dis groups dey arrange competitions like di Zarnitsa games wey get im origin for di Soviet era wia dem dey make Ukrainian pikin dem to demonstrate "general military literacy, knowledge of Russian statehood and military history, firearms firing skills". As di pikin dem dey grow for dia schooling, dem dey teach dem in Russian, wit Russian curriculum and textbooks wey justify di Russia war against Ukraine. One of di books show Ukraine as Western invention wey dem create to spite Russia and argue say human civilisation for end if Russia no invade Ukraine for 2022. Lisa wey go school for occupied Donetsk say students dia bin dey forced to attend events wey celebrate Russia and di USSR. Lisa say, "wen dem bin dey prepare one kain parade. Me, my whole class and di whole of my year bin dey forced to go evri weekend, go train. We bin need to hold posters. I no fit say no, no be my choice. Dem tell me say I need to do am if I wan graduate". She add say, "evri time lessons start, our teachers go make us stand up put hand for chest and listen to di Russian anthem wey she also make us cram join." Lisa now dey stay for di US and don dey post her experiences for TikTok. Serving Russian sojas also get role for di campaign of indoctrination, say dem dey go schools to teach "bravery lessons". Dem dey glorify dia work for di war and show Ukrainian forces as violent, unruly neo-Nazis. Pavel Tropkin, wey be official for di ruling United Russia party wey no base for di occupied part of Kherson region tok say, dis teachings "na so di pikin dem go fit understand di objectives" of wetin di Kremlin dey call "di special military operation" for Ukraine. Outside school, dem dey carry Ukrainian children to go see specially organised exhibitions wey dey glorify Russia and di "special military operation". One centre wey dey run dis kain trips dey host exhibitions wey dem dey call "Russia - My History" and "Special Military Operation Heroes" for Melitopol for Zaporizhzhia region. Di trips no dey end dia. Di Kremlin don also launch one big campaign wey go carry Ukrainian pikin dem on tours to go Russia as part of efforts to ginger pro-Russian thinking. Russia culture minister, Olga Lyubimova claim say ova 20,000 pikin dem from di occupied Ukrainian territories go Russia for one programme wey dem dey call "4+85". According to Russian goment concert agency Rosconcert, wey dey run di programme, dem wan "join di new generations into di unified Russian society". But Russia "integration" campaign big pass just indoctrination. Thousands of Ukrainian children wey dem carry go Russia for di three years of di full scale war, dem no allow dem come back. Ukrainian goment say ova 19,000 Ukrainian children don dey deported by force to Russia. UK goment say say like 6,000 Ukrainian pikin na im dem don move to network of "re-education camps" for Russia. International humanitarian law ban activities like dis. For example, di Fourth Geneva Convention tok say occupying power no suppose enlist children "for formations or organizations subordinate to it" and say dem fit apply "no pressure or propaganda wey go aim to secure voluntary enlistment" of locals for occupied areas to join dia armed or auxiliary forces. For 2023, di ICC put out arrest warrant for President Putin and part of di reason na di unlawful deportation of children. Putin and im goment deny di charges. For dis war wey dem dey run for Ukraine, Russia no dey only come for territory, dem dey also try stamp diaselves for di pipo wey dey live for dia, no mata how young dem be.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Parades, flags and songs: The campaign to force Ukrainian children to love Russia
Being taught to love Russia starts early for children in occupied areas of eastern a nursery school in Luhansk, more than 70 youngsters line up holding a long black and orange Russian military banner in the shape of a letter Z, the symbol of Russia's invasion of the city, seven little girls jump up and down and gesture in front of a Russian flag to the brash song "I am Russian" that blares out of loudspeakers. When the music stops they shout out together: "I'm Russian."In an occupied town called Anthracite, nursery school children have made trench candles and blankets for Russian is all part of a campaign that seeks not only to erase Ukraine's national identity, but also turn young Ukrainians against their own do that with children you need teachers, and as many Ukrainian teachers have fled, the government in Moscow has begun offering lump-sums of 2m roubles (£18,500) to Russian teaching staff willing to relocate to occupied parts of biggest and most powerful Russian organisation involved with children is Yunarmia (Youth Army).Affiliated with the Russian defence ministry, it accepts members as young as eight. It operates across all of Russia, and now has branches in occupied areas of Ukraine."We're providing children with some basic skills which they'll find useful should they decide to join military service," says Fidail Bikbulatov, who runs Yunarmia's section in occupied areas of the Zaporizhzhia region in south-east was deployed from Russia's Bashkortostan, where he headed the "Youth Guard" division of the ruling United Russia party. The EU has sanctioned Yunarmia, and Bikbulatov personally, for "the militarisation of Ukrainian children". Yunarmia is also targeted by UK sanctions for being part of Russia's campaign of "brainwashing" Ukrainian is not alone. Other Russian state-sponsored organisations that have moved in include "Movement of the First Ones" and "Warrior", a network of centres for "the military and athletic training, and patriotic education of young people" set up on Russian President Vladimir Putin's groups organise competitions such as Zarnitsa games rooted in the Soviet era, where Ukrainian children are required to demonstrate "general military literacy, knowledge of Russian statehood and military history, firearms firing skills".As the children progress through the education system, they are taught in Russian, using the Russian curriculum and textbooks that justify Russia's war against such book portrays Ukraine as little more than a Western invention created to spite Russia, and argues that human civilisation would have possibly ended had Russia not invaded Ukraine in who attended a school in occupied Donetsk, says students there were forced to take part in events celebrating Russia and the USSR."When they were preparing a parade of some sort, I, the whole of my class and the whole of my year were forced to attend every weekend and train. We had to hold posters. I could not say no, it wasn't my choice. I was told I had to do it to graduate," Lisa says."Every time lessons started, our teacher made us stand up, put a hand on our hearts and listen to the Russian anthem, which she made us learn by heart, too."Lisa now lives in the US and has been posting about her experiences on TikTok. Serving Russian soldiers also play a role in the campaign of indoctrination, visiting schools to give so-called "bravery lessons". They glorify their exploits at war and depict Ukrainian forces as violent, unruly Tropkin, an official from the ruling United Russia party now based in the occupied part of Kherson region, says these lessons are held "so that children understand the objectives" of what the Kremlin calls "the special military operation" in school, Ukrainian children are taken to see specially organised exhibitions glorifying Russia and the "special military operation".One centre catering for such trips is hosting exhibitions called "Russia - My History" and "Special Military Operation Heroes" in Melitopol in Zaporizhzhia trips do not stop Kremlin has also launched a big campaign to take Ukrainian children on tours of Russia as part of efforts to instil pro-Russian culture minister Olga Lyubimova claims that more than 20,000 children from occupied Ukrainian territories have been taken to Russia under one programme alone, called "4+85". According to the Russian government's concert agency Rosconcert, which runs the programme, it seeks to "integrate the new generation into a unified Russian society".However, Russia's "integration" campaign goes far beyond of Ukrainian children taken to Russia during the three years of the full-scale invasion have not been allowed to to the Ukrainian government, more than 19,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russia. The UK government estimates that some 6,000 Ukrainian children have been relocated to a network of "re-education camps" in humanitarian law bans activities like this. For example, the Fourth Geneva Convention says that an occupying power may not enlist children "in formations or organizations subordinate to it" and that it may apply "no pressure or propaganda which aims at securing voluntary enlistment" of locals in occupied areas into its armed or auxiliary 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for President Putin, in part for the unlawful deportation of children. Putin and his government deny the its war on Ukraine, Russia is not only after territory. It is also trying to put its stamp on the people who live there, no matter how young they are.
Fox News
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
US will 'have to' send weapons to Ukraine, Trump says days after Pentagon pause
President Donald Trump on Monday said that his administration would be sending defensive weapons to Ukraine so the war-torn country could defend itself from Russia's ongoing invasion, an apparent turnaround after the Pentagon said last week it was pausing such deliveries. His comments came as Russian attacks on Ukraine killed at least 11 civilians and injured more than 80 others, including seven children, officials said Monday. "We have to," Trump said when questioned at the start of a dinner he was hosting at the White House for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "They have to be able to defend themselves. They're getting hit very hard now. We're going to send some more weapons — defensive weapons primarily." PENTAGON HALTS SOME WEAPONS SHIPMENTS TO UKRAINE OVER CONCERNS ABOUT US STOCKPILES Russia continues to advance and now currently controls just under a fifth of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, all of Luhansk, the lion's share of three other regions and slivers of three additional regions. Trump's repeated efforts to broker a ceasefire have not been successful, and the president continued to vent his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who continues to escalate military actions. "I'm not happy with President Putin at all," Trump said. The Defense Department later said it would send additional defensive weapons to Ukraine at Trump's direction, to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while efforts continue to secure a lasting peace. "Our framework for POTUS to evaluate military shipments across the globe remains in effect and is integral to our America First defense priorities," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said. Ukraine has been asking Washington to sell it more Patriot missiles and systems that it sees as key to defending its cities from intensifying Russian air strikes. Last week the Pentagon froze some shipments of critical weapons to Ukraine, including Patriot missile interceptors and 155 mm artillery shells, at a pivotal moment in Kyiv's war with Russia, Fox News confirmed. According to U.S. military officials tracking the shipments, the weapons were already staged in Poland before the order came down. TRUMP SHARES SYMPATHETIC EXCHANGE WITH UKRAINIAN JOURNALIST WHOSE HUSBAND IS FIGHTING IN WAR It came as Russia launched its largest aerial attack of the war, nearly 500 drones and 60 missiles. In response to Trump's comments, the Kremlin said it would need time to clarify the specifics of U.S. weapons aid to Ukraine with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there were many contradictory statements about U.S. weapons supplies to Ukraine, though it was clear that European weapons deliveries were continuing. "Obviously, supplies are continuing, that's clear. Obviously, the Europeans are actively involved in pumping Ukraine full of weapons," Peskov said, according to Reuters. "As for what kind of supplies and in what quantity Ukraine continues to receive from the United States, it will still take time to clarify this definitively," he added. Peskov said that Moscow appreciated Trump's efforts to initiate direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and that there was significant potential for restarting Russian-U.S. trade and economic relations. CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Separately, Russia's transport minister Roman Starovoit was found dead in what authorities said was an apparent suicide — news that broke hours after the Kremlin announced he had been dismissed by Putin, per The Associated Press. Russian media have reported that his dismissal could have been linked to an investigation into the embezzlement of state funds allocated for building fortifications in the Kursk region, where he served as governor before being appointed transportation minister. The firing of Starovoit followed a weekend of travel chaos — airports grounded hundreds of flights due to the threat of drone attacks from Ukraine. Russian officials did not give a reason for his dismissal. Fox News' Jasmine Baehr and Jennifer Griffin as well as The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
The Guardian
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Russia has committed flagrant human rights abuses in Ukraine since 2014, rules ECHR
Russia has committed flagrant and unprecedented abuses of human rights since it invaded Ukraine in 2014, including extrajudicial killings, sexual violence and forced labour, the European court of human rights has found. The court's grand chamber unanimously held that between 11 May 2014 and 16 September 2022, when Russia ceased to be a party to the European convention on human rights it had committed 'manifestly unlawful conduct … on a massive scale'. Pro-Russia armed groups entered the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine in 2014 and Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. In its judgment, published on Wednesday, the court said there was evidence of widespread and systemic use of sexual violence, accompanied by acts of torture, such as beatings, strangling or electric shocks. Civilians and prisoners of war were subjected to mock executions, the severing of body parts and electric shocks, including to intimate areas of their bodies, the court said. Finding repeated violations of the convention, many of which had taken place over a period of more than eight years, the court said: 'These actions seek to undermine the very fabric of the democracy on which the Council of Europe and its member states are founded by their destruction of individual freedoms, their suppression of political liberties and their blatant disregard for the rule of law. 'In none of the conflicts previously before the court has there been such near universal condemnation of the 'flagrant' disregard by the respondent state for the foundations of the international legal order established after the second world war.' Ukraine hailed the judgment as 'historic and unprecedented', saying it was an 'undeniable victory'. Russia did not participate in the proceedings and said it would ignore the judgment. Violations identified by the court included: Indiscriminate military attacks. Summary executions of civilians and Ukrainian military personnel. Torture, including the use of rape as a weapon of war. Unlawful and arbitrary detention of civilians. Unjustified displacement and transfer of civilians. Intimidation, harassment and persecution of all religious groups other than adherents of the historically Moscow-aligned Ukrainian Orthodox church. Intimidation and violence against journalists and new laws prohibiting and penalising the dissemination of information in support of Ukraine. Forcible dispersal by the Russian military of peaceful protests in occupied towns and cities. Destruction, looting and expropriation of property. Suppression of the Ukrainian language in schools and indoctrination of Ukrainian schoolchildren. Transfer to Russia, and in many cases, the adoption there of Ukrainian children. The court said: 'The prevalence of sexual violence and rape by Russian soldiers in occupied territory is especially abhorrent. The evidence shows the extreme violence of the circumstances in which women were raped or sexually assaulted and the intent to terrorise, humiliate and debase them … In addition to the impact on the direct victims, the raping of women and girls in the context of an armed conflict has also been described as a means for the aggressor to symbolically and physically humiliate the defeated men. 'Rape or the threat of rape is also used to drive communities off lands or to heighten terror during attacks. The evidence also attests to the horrific sexual violence frequently perpetrated upon male detainees. The sexual abuse, torture and mutilation of male detainees is often carried out to attack and destroy their sense of masculinity or manhood.' Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion The judges said that sexual violence and rape were deployed in Ukraine after the February 2022 invasion 'as part of a military strategy to dehumanise, humiliate and break the morale of the Ukrainian population, as individuals and as a community, and to assert dominance over Ukrainian sovereign territory'. The court will decide on whether to order compensation at a later date. However, Russia has previously told the court of its intention not to enforce judgments or pay damages. A total of 26 signatory states to the convention intervened as third parties in the case and expressed their support for making Russia accountable for violations of human rights arising from its invasion of Ukraine. The court also found that the shooting down of flight MH17 using a missile supplied and transported to eastern Ukraine by the Russian Federation, resulting in the deaths of all 298 civilians onboard, was in breach of the convention.
The Guardian
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Russia has committed flagrant human rights abuses in Ukraine since 2014, rules ECHR
Russia has committed flagrant and unprecedented abuses of human rights since it invaded Ukraine in 2014, including extrajudicial killings, sexual violence and forced labour, the European court of human rights has found. The court's grand chamber unanimously held that between 11 May 2014 and 16 September 2022, when Russia ceased to be a party to the European convention on human rights it had committed 'manifestly unlawful conduct … on a massive scale'. Pro-Russian armed groups entered the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine in 2014 and Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. In its judgment, published on Wednesday, the court said there was evidence of widespread and systemic use of sexual violence, accompanied by acts of torture, such as beatings, strangling or electric shock. Civilians and prisoners of war were subjected to mock executions, the severing of body parts and electric shocks, including to intimate areas of their bodies, the court said. Finding repeated violations of the convention, many of which had taken place over a period of more than eight years, the court said: 'These actions seek to undermine the very fabric of the democracy on which the Council of Europe and its member states are founded by their destruction of individual freedoms, their suppression of political liberties and their blatant disregard for the rule of law. 'In none of the conflicts previously before the court has there been such near universal condemnation of the 'flagrant' disregard by the respondent state for the foundations of the international legal order established after the second world war.' Ukraine hailed the judgment as 'historic and unprecedented', saying it was an 'undeniable victory'. Russia did not participate in the proceedings and said it would ignore it. Violations identified by the court included: Indiscriminate military attacks Summary executions of civilians and Ukrainian military personnel Torture, including the use of rape as a weapon of war Unlawful and arbitrary detention of civilians Unjustified displacement and transfer of civilians Intimidation, harassment and persecution of all religious groups other than adherents of the historically Moscow-aligned Ukrainian Orthodox church Intimidation and violence against journalists and new laws prohibiting and penalising the dissemination of information in support of Ukraine Forcible dispersal by the Russian military of peaceful protests in occupied towns and cities Destruction, looting and expropriation of property Suppression of the Ukrainian language in schools and indoctrination of Ukrainian schoolchildren Transfer to Russia, and in many cases, the adoption there of Ukrainian children The court said: 'The prevalence of sexual violence and rape by Russian soldiers in occupied territory is especially abhorrent. The evidence shows the extreme violence of the circumstances in which women were raped or sexually assaulted and the intent to terrorise, humiliate and debase them … In addition to the impact on the direct victims, the raping of women and girls in the context of an armed conflict has also been described as a means for the aggressor to symbolically and physically humiliate the defeated men. 'Rape or the threat of rape is also used to drive communities off lands or to heighten terror during attacks. The evidence also attests to the horrific sexual violence frequently perpetrated upon male detainees. The sexual abuse, torture and mutilation of male detainees is often carried out to attack and destroy their sense of masculinity or manhood.' Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion The judges said that sexual violence and rape were deployed in Ukraine after the February 2022 invasion 'as part of a military strategy to dehumanise, humiliate and break the morale of the Ukrainian population, as individuals and as a community, and to assert dominance over Ukrainian sovereign territory'. The court will decide on whether to order compensation at a later date. However, Russia has previously told the court of its intention not to enforce judgments or pay damages. A total of 26 signatory states to the convention intervened as third parties in the case and expressed their support for making Russia accountable for violations of human rights arising from its invasion of Ukraine. The court also found that the shooting down of flight MH17 using a missile supplied and transported to eastern Ukraine by the Russian Federation, resulting in the deaths of all 298 civilians on board, was in breach of the convention.
