A new United Nations report paints a grim picture of the profound toll Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has taken on the country’s children over the past three years. The report, released today by the UN Human Rights Office, details the immense suffering endured by young Ukrainians as a result of violence, displacement, and the erosion of their rights.
Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, emphasized the catastrophic consequences of the ongoing conflict: “The ongoing hostilities and occupation of parts of Ukraine by the Russian Federation have caused large-scale human rights violations and inflicted unimaginable suffering on millions of children. Their rights have been undermined in every aspect of life, leaving deep scars, both physical and psychosocial.”
Between February 2022 and December 2024, the UN verified the deaths of 669 children and injuries to 1,833 others, many caused by the extensive use of explosive weapons in populated areas. Of those, 521 children were killed and 1,529 injured in areas controlled by Ukraine, while 148 children were killed and 304 injured in territories occupied by Russian forces. These numbers, the report cautions, are likely to be far higher due to difficulties in collecting complete data.
The continued presence of landmines and unexploded ordnance throughout vast areas of Ukraine poses an ongoing and significant risk to children’s lives, with these remnants of war threatening their safety for years to come.
In addition to the physical toll, the report highlights the deep emotional and psychological impact on Ukraine’s children. By the end of 2024, it was estimated that 737,000 children had been displaced within Ukraine, while another 1.7 million had become refugees, many separated from their families, often from their fathers.
Children in Russian-occupied areas face even greater vulnerability, with the report detailing widespread violence against civilians, including children, especially in the early months of the invasion. One of the most disturbing findings concerns the forced transfer of at least 200 children, including those in institutions, from Ukraine to Russian-held territories or to Russia itself in 2022. These transfers, the UN report suggests, may constitute war crimes, though a full investigation has been hindered by limited access to affected areas.
Since Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions in late 2022, in direct violation of international law, authorities in these territories have implemented sweeping changes to local governance, affecting Ukrainian children directly. Russian authorities have imposed Russian citizenship, introduced the Russian school curriculum, and restricted education in Ukrainian, in a bid to assimilate children into Russian identity and military-patriotic culture. This policy, the report states, constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law, which mandates that occupying forces must respect children’s rights to education and cultural preservation.
The war has also taken a significant toll on education in Ukraine, with at least 1,614 attacks on schools, resulting in widespread destruction and disruption. In response, Ukrainian authorities have adapted by setting up bomb shelters in schools and moving many classes online. However, the ongoing threat of airstrikes, combined with attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, has left many students without consistent access to education. Over a third of Ukrainian children now attend school partially or fully online, but frequent power outages often prevent these lessons from taking place, further diminishing their educational opportunities.
As the report reveals, the unrelenting violence and disruption of education have led to a decline in the overall level of educational attainment among Ukrainian children, jeopardizing their future prospects.
The report underscores the importance of addressing the violations and ensuring that Ukrainian children can reclaim their rights, identity, and security, free from the long-term consequences of war and occupation. “It is clear that Ukrainian children have endured a wide range of wartime experiences, all with serious impacts,” said Türk. “Some are refugees in Europe, others are direct victims of violence, living under the constant threat of bombardment, and many are subject to the coercive laws and policies of the Russian authorities in occupied areas.”
