Ukrainian children taken at gunpoint by Russian forces in Kherson, documents show | Euronews

## Summary
By&nbsp Sasha Vakulina Published on 03/04/2026 - 13:37 GMT+2 Share Comments Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp Euronews obtained a copy of one of the documented episodes of Russia's systemic abduction and forceful deportation of Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories. Maksym Maksymov, head of projects at Bring Kids Back Ukraine told Euronews the case highlights how Russia is systematically carrying out the forced deportation of Ukrainian children. "There was no justification for their transfer from Novopetrivka to Russia. Maksymov told Euronews what is important about this case is that it allows Ukraine "to identify not just the crime, but the individual responsible for organising and carrying it out." "That is how accountability is built and every person involved must face justice." Ukrainian teenager Bohdan Yermokhin holds the Ukraine flag upon his return after forceful deportation to Russia, 19 November, 2023 AP/Ukrainian Presidential Press Office Efforts to bring abduected children back to Ukraine All 15 children in this case were successfully returned to Ukraine but tens of thousands remain in Russia. Go to accessibility shortcuts Share Comments Read more Russian troops forced me to clean torture cells, Ukrainian former teen prisoner tells Euronews Deported Ukrainian children taken to at least 210 facilities in Russia, investigation shows US and EU to push for the return of abducted Ukrainian children from Russia Ukraine Russia Children Russia's invasion of Ukraine War in Ukraine

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By&nbsp
Sasha Vakulina
Published on
03/04/2026 - 13:37 GMT+2
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Euronews obtained a copy of one of the documented episodes of Russia's systemic abduction and forceful deportation of Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories.
Ukraine's Prosecutor General filed charges against a serviceman of the Russian Armed Forces who organised and personally participated in the unlawful transfer to Russia of 15 Ukrainian children.
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According to official documents seen by Euronews, the case concerns events in the village of Novopetrivka in the Kherson region during Russia's occupation between March and November 2022.
The children were in the care of the local school's director, who, together with her husband, tried to "ensure their safety and proper living conditions."
Ten of the children lived with no parental care, three were orphans and two others were living in what was only described as difficult circumstances.
The accused Russian soldier together with other servicemen, arrived at the school threatening people with weapons, according to the documents seen by Euronews.
The director was interrogated, and in order to prevent any departure, three armed soldiers were left at the school.
Empty cribs at a playhouse in the courtyard of Kherson regional children's home in Kherson, 25 November, 2022
AP Photo
Ukraine's Prosecutor General says that the next day, the accused Russian serviceman personally organised the forcible removal of the children.
Escorted by around 20 armed servicemen, the children, as well as the school director and her husband, were transported to the settlement of Stepanivka, deeper inside Kherson.
They were held there for about three months.
Forceful transfer to Russia
On 19 October 2022, shortly before Ukrainian forces liberated part of the Kherson region, the Ukrainian children were moved even further away.
First, they were taken by boat across the Dnipro River to Oleshky, a town which still remains occupied, on the left bank of Kherson region.
From there they were taken by bus to Armyansk in northern Crimea and then by train from Dzhankoi, Crimea to Anapa in Russia's Krasnodar Krai.
This is where the children were placed in a child care institution.
According to court papers, the children were forced to sing the Russian national anthem, participate in propaganda events and were forbidden from speaking Ukrainian.
"All of this was accompanied by constant psychological pressure," the documents said.
Ukrainian children from an orphanage in the Donetsk region at a camp in Zolotaya Kosa, 8 July, 2022
AP Photo
The investigation established that there were no grounds for the so-called evacuation. The school had food supplies, medicines and shelter and there were no active hostilities nearby.
Maksym Maksymov, head of projects at Bring Kids Back Ukraine told Euronews the case highlights how Russia is systematically carrying out the forced deportation of Ukrainian children.
"There was no justification for their transfer from Novopetrivka to Russia. The children were not in danger, they had shelter, food, and care. What happened instead was a deliberate operation, with a clear chain of actions from surveillance and control to forced transfer and deportation, alongside efforts to erase their identity," he said.
Euronews has previously reported cases
of Ukrainian children who endured abuse, beatings, confinement in basements and threats of being sent to psychiatric hospitals for disobedience.
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Who is charged?
According to the court case, the organiser of the crime has been identified and is charged with violating the laws and customs of war, committed by a group of persons in prior conspiracy as per the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Commenting on the case, Deputy Prosecutor General Viktor Lohachov said that this is one of the documented episodes of the systematic practice of unlawfully transferring and deporting Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories.
"We are talking not only about 15 children from one specific locality. According to the information currently available, data on more than 19,000 children are being verified and this figure is not final," Lohachov said.
According to him, this criminal proceeding has established the full chain of actions: from controlling the children under occupation to their forced removal, further transfer through occupied territories, and deportation to the Russian Federation.
The regional administration building damaged by Russia's constant shelling on the main square in the frontline city of Kherson, 3 November, 2025
AP Photo
According to Ukraine's Prosecutor General, these were "organised actions by servicemen of the aggressor state, carried

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- Maksymov told Euronews what is important about this case is that it allows Ukraine "to identify not just the crime, but the individual responsible for organising and carrying it out." "That is how accountability is built and every person involved must face justice." Ukrainian teenager Bohdan Yermokhin holds the Ukraine flag upon his return after forceful deportation to Russia, 19 November, 2023 AP/Ukrainian Presidential Press Office Efforts to bring abduected children back to Ukraine All 15 children in this case were successfully returned to Ukraine but tens of thousands remain in Russia.

### Areas for Consideration
- The children were in the care of the local school's director, who, together with her husband, tried to "ensure their safety and proper living conditions." Ten of the children lived with no parental care, three were orphans and two others were living in what was only described as difficult circumstances.

### Implications
- Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab placed the number of deported Ukrainian children closer to 35,000 while Moscow claimed the number could reach as high as 700,000.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers children, ukraine, russia topics. Notable strengths include discussion of children. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 1299.