Children in occupied Crimea were trained to serve in Russian army: leaders of organizations will be tried for war crimes - Prosecutor General’s Office
An indictment has been filed in court against the leaders of the "Union of Crimean Border Guards," the "Varyag" military-patriotic club, and the maritime training center of the same name.
This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, according to Censor.NET.
As noted, in April 2026, they were notified that they were suspected of war crimes committed by a group of individuals (Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). In addition, two of them are charged with justifying the Russian Federation’s armed aggression (Part 3 of Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
What is known
Under the guise of military-patriotic education, the defendants systematically prepared Ukrainian children in occupied Crimea for future service in the armed forces of the aggressor state.
The students were trained in the handling of small arms, combat tactics, field training, rescue operations, and light diving. They participated in shooting exercises, tactical drills, and military games.
Participants in the so-called "SVO" were involved in activities with children. In addition, the organizers encouraged people to enlist in the Russian army during appearances in pro-Kremlin media and took part in propaganda events.
There are at least four documented cases in which graduates of the "Varyag" club joined the Russian army or began working for the occupying law enforcement agencies after reaching the age of majority.
Funding
It is reported that, to develop this activity in 2023, the defendants received nearly 4.5 million rubles in a so-called presidential grant. They were also given a plot of land in Simferopol, where they set up a training complex for basic military training.
"Through such organizations, the occupying authorities are drawing Ukrainian children into a military environment, imposing a Russian identity on them, and shaping their perception of service in the Russian Armed Forces as the norm," the OGP emphasizes.
Charges
Thus, the defendants’ actions have been classified as violations of the laws and customs of war committed by a group of individuals (Article 28, Part 2, and Article 438, Part 1, of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Two of them are also charged with justifying the Russian Federation’s armed aggression (Article 436-2, Part 3, of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
