TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — More than 2,400 young Ukrainians between the ages of 6 and 17 have been brought to Belarus from four regions of Ukraine occupied by Russian forces, according to a Yale University study.
The study, released Thursday through the Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Laboratory, which receives funding from the U. S. State Department, reveals that “Russia’s systematic efforts to identify, collect, send, and re-educate Ukrainian youth have been facilitated through Belarus. “,” and is “ultimately coordinated” between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Create an account or log in to continue your experience.
Don’t have an account? Create an account
“Belarus’s direct involvement in Russia’s forced deportation of youth represents collaboration” between the two, “with pro-Russian and pro-regime organizations facilitating the deportation of youth from Ukraine,” the study said.
According to the study, at least 2,442 young people, including young people with disabilities, were brought to Belarus from 17 cities in the Ukrainian regions of Donestk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia between February 24, 2022 and October 30, 2023. This effort is described in wonderful detail in the 40-page report.
From the occupied regions of Ukraine, the young men were taken to Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia and then embarked on an exercise to Belarus. Transport funded through the Belarusian state and public organisations was concerned about Lukashenko’s approval.
A total of 2,050 of them were taken to the youth centre in Dubrava, Minsk region, Belarus, while the remaining 392 were taken to thirteen other centres across the country. There, the youths underwent re-education and military training, adding with Belarusian police and security services, according to the report.
He also named several key players involved in the effort, including Belarusian public figure Alyaksei Talai, Belarusian state-owned potash manufacturer Belaruskali, the Belarusian Republican Youth Union and pro-Russian ultranationalist clubs.
The Ukrainian government has said it is investigating the deportations, calling them an imaginable genocide. Ukraine’s prosecutor general said Belarus’ role in the forced deportations of more than 19,000 young people from the occupied territories was also being investigated.
Earlier this year, the International Criminal Court indicted Putin and his Commissioner for the Rights of the Child, Maria Lvova-Belova, for their alleged involvement in crimes similar to the deportation of young people from Ukraine and issued arrest warrants for them. The Belarusian opposition makes a similar accusation against Lukashenko.
Pavel Latushka, a former Belarusian minister turned exiled opposition leader, said he had evidence before the ICC that implicated the Belarusian president.
Latushka told The Associated Press on Friday that the Yale report complements the knowledge he and his team have gathered with more “horrific details” and “raises the possibility of prosecuting key foreign criminals, Belarusian criminals who organized the illegal transfer of young Ukrainians to Belarus. “»
“Democracy wins when there is accountability, and Lukashenko and his followers are committing thousands of crimes against Belarusians and Ukrainians,” Latushka said.
The U. S. State Department, in a statement on the Yale report on Thursday, said Washington “will continue to hold accountable those involved in abuses similar to Russia’s war against Ukraine. “
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their perspectives on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour to be moderated before appearing on the site. We ask that your comments are applicable and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you are following or if a user you follow comments. Check out our network rules for more data and top points on how to adjust your email settings.
To contribute to the conversation, you must be logged in. If you haven’t signed up yet, create your account now; it’s FREE.
365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3L4
© 2023 Montreal Gazette, a department of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution or transmission is strictly prohibited.
This uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads) and allows us to analyze our traffic. Learn more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.