Produced with Save Ukraine and the Human Security Centre, the Return Every Child report is based on testimonies from 200 children who returned from Russia or Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. Between March 2023 and July 2025, Save Ukraine specialists, psychologists, social workers, and legal experts, spoke with them in depth.
Their voices paint a stark picture: children stripped of language, culture, and safety, subjected to military propaganda, systematic control and fear. Their stories reveal not only deep personal suffering, but also a deliberate campaign to reengineer an entire generation.
Of the 200 children a significant number reported single or multiple serious violations of their rights:
- 55% reported being subjected to pro-Russian indoctrination.
- 41% highlighted experiences of militarisation through school-based training, or membership in organisations.
- 39% percent described unlawful transfers or deportations, to Russia, Crimea or Belarus.
- 30% cited being placed in camps where further indoctrination or military training was provided.
Other grave abuses included separation from families (18%), denial of medical care (18%), torture or cruel treatment (10%), conflict-related sexual violence (6%), exploitation including forced labour (2%) and religious persecution (2%).
We cannot stay silent. We cannot look away.
