Russia mobilizes over 10,000 Ukrainians in temporarily occupied territories

He made this statement during the presentation of the analytical report "Militarization of Ukrainian Children in the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine," as reported by Espreso correspondent Kateryna Halko.

According to Kovalenko, the Russians are pushing their ideology in the occupied areas, particularly among children, with the aim of having these kids continue to promote Russian interests when Ukraine regains its territories.

"Their goal is for these children to push Russian interests in these areas in the future and infiltrate Ukraine's political, cultural, and economic life. In reality, they are raising potential agents, not just soldiers," said Kovalenko.

He also pointed out that it’s not just volunteers working with children in the occupied areas but also special services preparing them for propaganda activities, getting them on local television, and even preparing them to fight.

"In fact, according to the latest estimates, without any scandal, more than 10,000 Ukrainians have been mobilized into the Russian army in the temporarily occupied territories to fight against Ukraine," Kovalenko said.

He emphasized that Ukraine’s task is to identify those responsible for the forced abduction and re-education of children.

First, this is necessary to pass relevant information to international partners so they can take action, including sanctions.

"Sanctions take time. A solid evidence base is being built. It’s a long process, but it’s a point of influence so these people can face international courts, lose their assets, and be banned from entering other countries," Kovalenko explained.

The second reason is historical. Kovalenko said identifying Russian criminals is necessary to ensure that "they can never erase the traces of their crimes from their reputation."

• Earlier, the National Resistance Center reported that, in the temporarily occupied territories, Russia is threatening final-year students with fines if they fail to show up at the so-called military registration and enlistment offices.