Children in Occupied Ukraine Forced Into Russian Education System, Human Rights Watch Alleges.

Systemic Violations of Children's Rights in Russian-Held Areas

According to UATV: According to a statement released on July 16, 2026, by the international watchdog Human Rights Watch, Russian authorities in temporarily occupied parts of Ukraine are compelling children to attend schools that undermine their right to education and aim to erase Ukrainian national identity. The organization highlights severe abuses against minors still living in these territories.

Education Crisis in Occupied Regions

Human Rights Watch reports that 1.6 million children reside in these areas, including 600,000 of school age. During October and November 2025, the group interviewed five children aged 11 to 17 and 26 teachers, all of whom confirmed that schooling conditions fall short of international standards. The curriculum in occupied regions mirrors Russia’s national education program, raising serious concerns among advocates.

Occupying authorities require children to obtain Russian passports in order to complete their schooling, creating additional barriers for Ukrainian students. Schools also promote anti-Ukrainian propaganda and militaristic lessons.

As Bill Van Esveld, a representative of Human Rights Watch, stated: 'Russia is using schools to teach Ukrainian children loyalty to the Kremlin.'

This situation reflects a systematic violation of children’s educational rights and poses a direct threat to Ukrainian national identity in the occupied territories.

These findings from Human Rights Watch underscore the need for continued international scrutiny of conditions in occupied Ukraine, where children’s rights are persistently violated. Forced instruction under the Russian curriculum not only jeopardizes their education but also carries severe consequences for their identity and cultural heritage. Amid the ongoing conflict, such actions could produce profound social and cultural repercussions for future generations of Ukrainians, reinforcing the urgency of robust global response and support for the rights of Ukrainian children.