Satellite imagery, cellphone data, and open-source information reveal a network of 136 facilities across Russian-occupied Ukraine and Russia where Ukrainian children are reportedly held. This network, mapped by technology company Hala Systems in collaboration with the Ukrainian organization Save Ukraine, suggests a systematic program of deportation and alleged indoctrination, contributing to accusations of war crimes against Russian officials.
Contents
Key takeaways:
- A network of 136 facilities, including schools, camps, and hospitals, is used to hold Ukrainian children.
- These facilities are located across Russian-controlled areas and deep within Russia.
- Data suggests some teenage boys may be receiving military training and propaganda.
- The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants related to the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children.
Mapping the Network of Detention Facilities
The network of facilities spans from southwestern Crimea across occupied areas of Ukraine and into Russia, reaching as far as Novosibirsk in Siberia, over 3,300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. These locations were identified by matching first-hand accounts from survivors with satellite imagery, cellphone data, and other publicly available information sources.
The facilities previously served different purposes, including boarding schools, hotels, summer camps, and healthcare centers. Together, they form what some describe as a modern-day “gulag” system for Ukrainian children.
How the Network Was Mapped
Hala Systems, supported by a grant from Global Affairs Canada, collaborated with Save Ukraine to track the whereabouts of missing Ukrainian children. Their methodology involved aggregating various data points:
- Testimonies: Accounts from children and teens rescued by Save Ukraine provided initial locations and details.
- Satellite Imagery: High-resolution images were used to examine potential sites identified through testimony or other data, sometimes revealing structural changes or activities like earthworks.
- Mobile Phone Data: Tracking anonymized movement patterns of mobile phones believed to belong to children or their Russian guards helped confirm presence at facilities and observe daily routines.
- Social Media and Radio: Analysis of public social media posts by Russian officials and monitoring of unencrypted radio channels provided additional clues about movements and locations.
This multi-faceted approach allowed researchers to build a comprehensive map of where children are reportedly being held.
A map showing the distribution of alleged detention facilities for Ukrainian children across occupied territories and Russia.
Allegations of Indoctrination and Military Training
Analysis of the data suggests some of these facilities are used for political re-education and potentially military training of Ukrainian children.
Yunarmiya’s Role
Six facilities in the network have been identified as bases for Russia’s “Yunarmiya,” or Youth Army. This state-sponsored organization promotes patriotism and military skills among young Russians. Evidence gathered by Hala Systems and Save Ukraine suggests that Ukrainian teenage boys in these facilities are subjected to anti-Ukrainian and anti-Western propaganda. Some reports indicate they are receiving basic military training.
Ashley Jordana, Hala’s director of law, policy and human rights, noted that children as young as eight have been placed in “structured military patriotic programs.” The goal appears to be to instill loyalty to Russia and potentially prepare older boys for service in the Russian armed forces, potentially against their own country.
Members of Russia’s Yunarmiya youth militia parade during a Victory Day ceremony in Moscow in May 2023.
Evidence and Testimony
Evidence supporting the claims of indoctrination and training comes from multiple sources:
- Survivor Accounts: Testimonies from children rescued by Save Ukraine describe the curriculum and environment within the camps.
- Russian Media: Kremlin-controlled outlets have published reports on the “patriotic” re-education programs in occupied regions, often depicting children participating in activities that appear military-themed.
- Mobile Tracking: Cellphone tracking data from within some Yunarmiya facilities shows patterns of movement that analysts interpret as consistent with structured, possibly military, formations or drills.
- Satellite Imagery: Satellite photos of the Yunarmiya base in Melitopol, occupied Ukraine, reportedly show earthworks visible since May 2022, which analysts believe could be trenches used for combat training.
The potential forced conscription or use of children to fight against their own country would constitute a war crime under the Geneva Conventions, as is the use of child soldiers. Reports indicate Yunarmiya’s budget is set to significantly increase.
Satellite image of mobile phone signals at a resort
International Response and Legal Context
The forced deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children are already subjects of international legal action.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights. They are accused of the war crimes of “unlawful deportation” and “unlawful transfer” of Ukrainian children from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has described the events as “clearly a genocide.” The scale of the alleged forced transfers is significant, with Ukraine officially reporting around 20,000 children as missing. However, organizations tracking the issue believe the actual number is likely much higher.
Rescue Efforts and Challenges
Save Ukraine actively works to locate and rescue children from these facilities. Using the intelligence provided by Hala Systems and other sources, the organization has successfully brought 129 children back to Ukraine since the Canadian-funded project began.
Despite these efforts, the fate of thousands of Ukrainian children remains uncertain. Locating children, establishing communication, and facilitating their return is a complex and dangerous process, often requiring coordination with sources inside Russia and occupied territories.
Complicating matters, all Ukrainians living in occupied areas have reportedly been forced to take Russian passports. This move makes males, including teenagers under 18, vulnerable to Russian conscription. Save Ukraine head Mykola Kuleba stated that children, particularly boys in occupied areas, live with the understanding that they could be taken into the Russian army. He views the children as “spoils of war,” used by Russia to address military and demographic needs.
Funding for efforts to track these children has faced challenges. A project by Yale University tracking an estimated 35,000 illegally adopted Ukrainian children lost US government funding in March, sending what Save Ukraine described as a “dangerous message.” Canada’s support for Hala Systems’ work with Save Ukraine is viewed as crucial, although the current grant is set to expire.
Mykola Kuleba, head of Save Ukraine, whose organization works to rescue Ukrainian children from Russia.
Technology and Human Rights Collaboration
The work of organizations like Hala Systems demonstrates how advanced technology and open-source intelligence can be applied to human rights investigations and conflict monitoring. Hala’s previous experience, including developing an early-warning system for air strikes in Syria with Canadian funding, laid the groundwork for their work in Ukraine.
The collaboration involves translating complex technical data into usable information for rescue efforts and legal proceedings. This includes establishing protocols for handling evidence, such as mobile tracking data and radio intercepts, to ensure its admissibility in potential future war crimes trials. This information is shared with Ukrainian prosecutors and the International Criminal Court.
While building cases for accountability is a long-term goal, the immediate focus remains on locating and rescuing the children trapped in the network of facilities. Estimates of the total number of children in Russian-controlled territories are significant, with Save Ukraine considering all 1.6 million Ukrainian children in these areas as potentially needing the chance to return to Ukraine.
John Jaeger (left) and Dave Levin, co-founders of Hala Systems, testing an early-warning tool for Syria in 2018. This project informed their later work in Ukraine.
Conclusion
The evidence gathered through advanced data analysis points to a significant, organized effort by Russia to hold, indoctrinate, and potentially militarize Ukrainian children from occupied territories. This network of 136 facilities represents a humanitarian crisis and is central to ongoing investigations into alleged war crimes. While rescue efforts continue to face considerable challenges, technological tools are helping to map the scale of the problem and gather evidence for potential future accountability. The fate of thousands of Ukrainian children remains a critical concern.
