Belarus involved in Russian campaign to deport Ukrainian children — ISW

Belarusian officials, including self-proclaimed President Alexander Lukashenko, continue to be involved in the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Belarus and their re-education under Belarusian programs.

This is stated in a report by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Analysts note that on June 10, the head of the Russian-Belarusian civic initiative “Soyuz,” Sergei Lushch, met in Minsk with a group of 32 Ukrainian children from occupied Melitopol.

At the meeting, he stated that the Soyuz organization had cooperated with the occupation administration of the Zaporizhzhia region to organize the trip and emphasized the “patriotic education” of the children during their visit to Belarus. Reportedly, this “patriotic education” includes teaching children about the military history of Russia and Belarus as part of the Kremlin’s interpretation of World War II.

Despite this information, ISW analysts have long concluded that Belarus is involved in Russian actions.

“ISW has long believed that Belarusian officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, are directly involved in the Russian campaign to deport Ukrainian children,” the experts summarized.