- New sanctions target those supporting Putin's attempts to
forcibly deport and indoctrinate Ukraine's children and erase
their Ukrainian cultural heritage.
- Package of 11 designations includes leading Russian officials
and state-linked youth organisations.
- Defence intelligence demonstrates that Russia is pursuing a
long-standing Russification policy in illegally temporarily
occupied territories of Ukraine, seeking to eradicate Ukrainian
culture identity and statehood.
Perpetrators of Russia's heinous policy to deport, indoctrinate
and militarise Ukrainian children have been sanctioned today [3
September] by the UK. These include eight individuals and three
organisations affiliated with the Russian
state.
This announcement comes as defence intelligence shows that Russia
is pursuing a long-standing Russification policy in illegally
temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, seeking to eradicate
Ukrainian culture identity and statehood.
UN reporting shows that the Russian Federation have enforced
Russian curriculum in schools in the Temporarily Occupied
Territories and implemented training which prepares children for
Russian military service.
By continuing our steadfast support to Ukraine we are delivering
our Plan for Change to enhance the UK's security. To date, more
than 19,500 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred or
deported by the Russian authorities to Russia and the temporarily
occupied territories of Ukraine.
Of these an estimated 6,000 Ukrainian children have been
relocated to a network of re-education camps. Once there, they
are subjected to indoctrination efforts which seek to erode their
Ukrainian identity and instil pro-Russian sentiments, a strategy
dating back to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea more than 10
years ago.
These re-education camps seek to spread Russian propaganda,
encourage pro-Russian patriotism and prepare young people for
military service in the Russian armed forces.
Russian authorities expose Ukrainian children to a curriculum
that rewrites Russian and Ukrainian history, glorifies Russian
military actions, and promotes allegiance to Russia - and in some
cases involves military
training.
Foreign Secretary, , said:
“The Kremlin's policy of forced deportations, indoctrination
and militarisation of Ukrainian children is despicable, and
demonstrates the depths of depravity that President Putin will
reach to erase Ukrainian language, culture and
identity.
“To take a child from their home and seek to forcibly erase
their heritage and upbringing through lies and disinformation can
never be tolerated. No child should ever be a pawn of war and
that is why we are holding those responsible to
account.”
These latest sanctions target the individuals and entities who
support and carry out this insidious policy of attempting to
erase Ukrainian culture. This includes organisations such as the
Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation which runs re-education programmes for
Ukrainian children and teenagers, subjecting them to militaristic
training. Aymani Nesievna Kadyrova, President of the Foundation,
and mother of sanctioned Kremlin-aligned Chechen strongman Ramzan
Kadyrov has been sanctioned today as well.
Also sanctioned is Valery Maiorov, the Head of ‘Teenage Programs
Center', a state-funded organisation that aims to turn children
in Ukraine's Temporarily Occupied Territories against Ukraine and
instead become patriotic to Russia and Russian
values.
Deputy Director of the Department of State Policy in the Field of
Children's Rights Protection in the Ministry of Education,
Anastasia Pavlovna Akkuratova, was also sanctioned today for her
role in the state-organised indoctrination and Russification of
Ukrainian children.
Minister for the Armed Forces, MP, said:
“The UK is stepping up to take firm action against this
disgraceful practice. Putin continues to demonstrate he is not
serious about peace, launching some of the largest attacks
against Ukraine since the start of the war in recent weeks, which
is why it is vital we continue to work with our partners and
allies to continue to apply pressure for him to
negotiate.
“We must continue to support Ukraine's fight to defend the
freedoms and values we closely share in the UK, putting them in
strongest position on the battlefield and in any negotiations
that follow.”
The UK stands firmly with Ukraine and calls for the return of all
Ukrainian children who have been forcibly transferred and
deported. This must be an unconditional action, and those who
have been responsible for pursuing these heinous policies must be
held to account.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion the UK has
committed £21.8 billion in support for Ukraine including £13
billion in military aid and up to £5.3 billion in non-military
support.
Notes to editors
- In November 2024 the UK announced new sanctions against
perpetrators of Russia's forced deportation and indoctrination
of Ukrainian children.
- You can find more information on the UK's support for Ukraine
here.
- Sanctioned today are;
- Valery MAIOROV
- Nataliya Vitaliyivna TYSHCHENKO
- All-Russian public-state movement of children and youth
“Movement of the First”
- Zamid Alievich CHALAYEV
- Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation
- Aymani Nesievna KADYROVA
- Leyla Rinatovna FAZLEEVA
- Rinat Nailevich SADYKOV
- Aleksandr GUROV
- Anastasia Pavlovna AKKURATOVA
- Volunteers of Victory
