Publication of the ‘Stolen Generations’ report
Prague, 13 June 2025 – A new report reveals the mechanisms used by Russia to kidnap, indoctrinate and erase the identity of Ukrainian children.
At the GLOBSEC 2025 Forum, a ground-breaking report entitled ‘Stolen Generations: A Systematic Violation of Ukraine’s Future’ was presented. It reveals alarming evidence of Russia’s strategy to turn Ukrainian children into instruments of occupation and propaganda.
Written by Megan Gittoes, Associate Fellow at GLOBSEC, with the essential contribution of the Emile Foundation, the report describes a systemic policy. It covers abduction, forced assimilation and militarisation of Ukrainian children. This constitutes a direct attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Key findings of the report:
- At least 19,546 Ukrainian children have been abducted and forcibly transferred, according to the Ukrainiens authorities.
- Russia often registers the children as Russian citizens. They change their names before placing them with Russian families or in institutions.
- Russia issues falsified documents and new birth certificates to conceal their origins.
- Ideological re-education is omnipresent: Russian school curricula, Kremlin celebrations, military indoctrination.
- More than 1.6 million children live under Russian occupation in Ukraine. They are in more than 500 schools under the yoke of the army and indoctrination.
- Attempts to repatriate them are rare, risky and often blocked.
- Repatriated children often show great trauma. They are often unable to speak Ukrainian or showing signs of loyalty to their captors.
- Russia particularly targets vulnerable children, such as those with disabilities.
- Specific cases illustrate this reality, such as that of Margarita, adopted under a false identity in Russia.
- Russia offers incentives for the adoption of these children. This policy has been described as a crime involving elements of genocide.
The role of Emile Foundation in this report
As an organisation committed to the protection of abducted Ukrainian children, Emile Foundation was essential to the production of this report. It provided logistical support in the field and facilitated access to the families concerned. Additionally, it shared crucial information from its operations in Ukraine and abroad. The report pays tribute to its decisive contribution to collecting testimonies and documenting violations.
Recommendations of the report
- Create a robust international mechanism for the return of kidnapped children.
- Strengthen targeted sanctions against Russian political and institutional leaders.
- Increase international judicial cooperation and legal recognition of the crimes committed.
About this report and GLOBSEC
Megan Gittoes, a war crimes expert and Associate Fellow at GLOBSEC, delivered this extensive report. GLOBSEC is a world-renowned think-tank on security, democratic resilience and foreign affairs. She unveiled the report at the GLOBSEC 2025 Forum in Prague. This is an annual gathering of more than 2,000 decision-makers from 70 countries to debate major geopolitical issues.
