Russia Revives Gulag-Era with Filtration Camps for Ukrainian Children
Russia is systematically abducting Ukrainian children, often funneling them through filtration camps before displacing them to orphanages. The Conflict Observatory, a U.S.-government-funded initiative, has identified 21 facilities in the Donetsk region alone. Hala traced the movements of abducted Ukrainian children, creating a map of the modern-day gulag. Each blue dot represents either a child or a Russian official.
Through a combination of satellite imagery, open-source intelligence, and survivor testimonies, the organization has documented widespread human rights violations taking place in these camps.
Deeper insights came from tracking the movements of supply trucks and personnel, enabling the identification of previously unknown facilities. In some cases, drivers were followed across multiple checkpoints and supply stops. These techniques have revealed not only where children are being held, but also how they are transported and who is responsible.
Disturbingly, satellite photos revealed grave-like structures near the Olenivka camp—where Ukrainian prisoners of war were held—strongly suggesting the possibility of extrajudicial killings.
Violations of International Law
Detainees are subjected to invasive interrogations, biometric data collection, and often endure torture and degrading treatment. Many are forcibly deported to Russia, in clear violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention—a war crime under international law. The U.S. State Department has condemned these actions and called for accountability.
The establishment and operation of such camps represent a blatant disregard for human rights and international humanitarian law. The world must not remain silent in the face of such atrocities.
Russia Targets Ukrainian Children
One of the most disturbing revelations is the scale of Russia’s campaign to abduct Ukrainian children. Tens of thousands have been forcibly removed from their homes in occupied territories since the invasion began, funneled through filtration camps and relocated far from their families, identities erased behind a wall of silence. Russians even changed their real names, nationality and place of birth if abducted Ukrainian baby is small enough.
Using testimonies, satellite data, cellphone geolocation, and intercepted communications, researchers have tracked the systematic removal of children to facilities stretching from southern Ukraine all the way to Siberia. Many have been illegally adopted into Russian families—prompting the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, on charges of unlawful deportation and transfer.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the abductions at the 2023 UN General Assembly as “clearly a genocide,” highlighting the unprecedented nature of this crime in modern history.
Militarizing Children in Occupied Territories
Data collected by Hala Systems, a Lisbon-based tech company supported by a $2 million grant from Global Affairs Canada, reveals the existence of 136 facilities used to detain and indoctrinate abducted Ukrainian children. At least six of these sites serve as bases for the Russian Yunarmiya, a paramilitary youth organization used to instill Russian nationalism and anti-Ukrainian sentiment.
Testimonies from rescued children, corroborated by mobile phone movement data within the camps, show that Ukrainian boys—some as young as eight—are enrolled in military training programs.
Their days begin at 6 a.m., followed by a regimented breakfast and lessons in firearms assembly, mine clearance, and combat tactics. In the afternoons, they participate in field exercises and mock combat scenarios.
Satellite images of the Melitopol facility reveal trenches dug into the schoolyard.
Unlawful conscription—the forced recruitment of civilians, including minors, to fight against their own country—is a war crime. Analysts warn that these boys, stripped of their identities and re-educated under coercion, may soon be deployed to fight against Ukraine itself.
Justice
Ashley Jordana, Hala’s director of law and human rights, has likened the current situation to the crimes prosecuted at The Hague during the Balkan wars. Drawing on her experience from UN tribunals, she is helping build legally admissible evidence—such as radio intercepts and satellite imagery—that could form the basis for future war crimes prosecutions.
While long-term justice remains a goal, the immediate priority is the rescue of children trapped in Russia’s sprawling detention network. Each piece of evidence is shared with Ukrainian prosecutors, the ICC, and international human rights bodies.
But the future of this work is now in jeopardy since the U.S. government cut funding for several critical foreign aid initiatives, including a Yale University project that tracks the abduction of an estimated 35,000 Ukrainian children in March.
The decision sent shockwaves through Kyiv, where officials warned it could hinder rescue efforts and signal a waning commitment to holding perpetrators accountable.
Global Consequences
The potential use of abducted children to replenish Russia’s military ranks and offset its demographic decline adds a dark strategic motive to an already criminal policy. Mykola Kuleba, head of Save Ukraine, calls it a war for the soul of a nation:
“All boys living under occupation know they can be taken at any time. These children are being treated as spoils of war.”
He added that every one of the 1.6 million children living in Russian-occupied territory is at risk. And with Canada’s grant to Hala set to expire in September, continued international support is urgently needed. The establishment and operation of these camps is not only a grave violation of international law.
It is an assault on the future of Europe. With Russia’s next target unknown, the prospect of weaponizing these children for future aggression is deeply alarming.
The world must not look away. This is not just a war over territory. It is a war for the next generation.
