The Demography of War: Russian Ideology and Forced Deportations of Ukrainian Children

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The forced deportation of children has become one of the most egregious crimes perpetrated by Russian troops in Ukraine. Since February 2022, Ukrainian authorities have documented the deportation or forcible transfer of at least 19,546 children to Russia or Russian-occupied territories. 

This figure represents only verified cases and Ukrainian officials have estimated that the actual number of deported and forcibly removed children could be much higher. 

Who are deported children? What are the motivations behind this behaviour that is clearly directed and planned from Moscow? Is it an attempt to alleviate Russia’s demography by force?  Or is it an expression of Russian colonialism? What place do the forced deportations of children play in the Russian war efforts? 

To answer these and other questions, the Martens Centre has assembled a panel of leading experts and human rights advocates.