Russians in occupied territories isolate Ukrainian children and force them to take psychotropic drugs for disobedience

Ukrainian children in temporarily Russian-occupied territories are being punished for speaking Ukrainian or studying according to the Ukrainian education system. Those who disobey are beaten, isolated and forced to take psychotropic drugs.

Source: Daria Herasymchuk, Advisor and Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights and Child Rehabilitation, in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine, a Ukrainian news agency

Quote: "The Russians are violating children's rights by imposing Russian citizenship and documents on Ukrainian children. Children cannot study in Ukrainian or follow the Ukrainian education curriculum. They can only study the Russian curriculum with its distorted history and distorted reality: who is the enemy and who is their friend.

Some so-called 'hero of the special military operation' will visit the school during lessons and the children are expected to thank him for killing their neighbour two days ago. It's a kind of quasi-situation, a quasi-history, a quasi-culture, a quasi-nation – a completely warped reality."

Details: Herasymchuk said it is very hard for children to live under such conditions, as they are forbidden to speak or learn Ukrainian or learn about Ukrainian literature.

Quote: "They know they can be punished for it – or their parents may suffer. Children are often beaten, isolated or forcibly given psychotropic substances for disobedience – I personally know of such cases. And sadly, this is only part of what's happening."

More details: Herasymchuk pointed out that Ukrainian children in occupied territories have no way of protecting their rights.

Quote: "The occupiers have deprived them of any possibility to defend their rights. Sometimes adults still manage to send information about crimes against Ukrainian children through, say, the 'Children of War' portal, but the children themselves cannot usually find any means of communication."

Background:

• Ukrainska Pravda reported earlier about nine-year-old Solomiia and her mother, who were separated by the occupation. Solomiia attended online Ukrainian classes but had to study quietly so neighbours would not hear. She lived in occupied territory with her grandmother, who had to be careful, as Russian forces frequently abducted Ukrainian children and took them to Russia, where they were placed in new families.
• It was also recently reported that Ukraine had brought back 22 children and teenagers from Russian-occupied territories.

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