When \u201cRussian heads of authorities\u201d in Donetsk and Luhansk announced so-called \u201cevacuation\u201d of civilian population on February 18, 2022, it was clear whom this evacuation would cover at first. Children from children\u2019s houses in Donetsk and Luhansk were immediately evacuated to Russian Rostov-na-Donu. Self-proclaimed \u201cheads\u201d of children\u2019s houses were the first assistants of the Russian evacuation: <\/span>Viktoria Mochalova<\/span><\/a>, \u201cdirector\u201d of \u201cLuhansk Children\u2019s House\u201d, and <\/span>Tetyana Sorkina<\/span><\/a>, \u201cdirector\u201d of \u201cChildren\u2019s Social Center\u201d from Donetsk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In 2014, Sorkina returned two 5 years old boys without permission from Myronivka children\u2019s house in Kyivska oblast to Donetsk. As Russian propagandists <\/span>declared<\/span><\/a>, boys were sick and baited after their time in Myronivka.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Russian \u201cgames over humanism\u201d always targeted children from children\u2019s houses and people from shelters for elderly persons as their first victims. They often found teachers and trainers on occupied territories, willing to help them. If necessary, they were strengthened by \u201cRussian volunteers\u201d. It is easy to organize beautiful propaganda \u201cpicture\u201d of evacuation \u2013 groups of children, white buses, and generous \u201cadults-volunteers\u201d with letters of the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations on their uniform.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The similar story happened in occupied Kherson in October 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n School holidays or evacuation?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n The so-called \u201cministry of education\u201d of Kherson oblast announced on October 5, 2022 school holidays in secondary schools and professional training schools of Kherson, Bilozersky, Beryslavsky, Kakhovsky and Snigurivsky \u201cmunicipal districts\u201d and Novokakhovsky \u201curban district\u201d. Its \u201c<\/span>order<\/span><\/a>\u201d recommended heads of educational institutions to organize holidays for children. School holidays were introduced on all territory of Kherson oblast occupied by the Russian Federation on October 11. Then, they were <\/span>prolonged<\/span><\/a> until October 25, 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n At the beginning occupation administration headed by Vladimir Saldo was quite ambiguous about its further plans. Sergei Aksenov, Crimean colleague of Saldo, <\/span>announced<\/span><\/a> on October 5 that Crimea \u201cwill host 5 thousand children from Kherson region for school holidays\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Volodymyr Saldo, so-called \u201ctemporary governor of Kherson oblast\u201d in Yevpatoria, 08.10.2022. Photo: screenshot Rutube \u041f\u0435\u0440\u0432\u044b\u0439 \u043a\u0430\u043d\u0430\u043b <\/em><\/p><\/div>\n Saldo visited Crimean Yevpatoria on October 8 where Kherson children were brought for school holidays. It was surprising that he started talking about <\/span>evacuating adults<\/span><\/a> from Khersonska oblast: <\/span>\u201cAs we do not have quiet situation in Kherson, it is better for all to be here. It also applies to adult population. Russian cities Krasnodar and Stavropol, Crimea are ready to host adults and children. Each Russian oblast is ready to host up to ten thousand people\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n There was no talk about official \u201cevacuation\u201d at that moment at all. Ukrainians sounded the alarm. Yuri Sobolevsky, the First Deputy Head of Khersonska Oblast Council, <\/span>warned<\/span><\/a> on October 9, 2022 that there was a risk that Russians would not return the children to their parents in Kherson and refer \u201cto dangerous conditions in Khersonska oblast\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Saldo tried to dismiss his words about future \u201cevacuation\u2019. He <\/span>said<\/span><\/a> on October 10 that <\/span>\u201ceach Russian region (\u201cRepublic of Crimea\u201d, \u201cKrasnodarsky and Stavropolsky oblasts\u201d) is capable to host up to 10 thousand people for holidays. But the population of Khersonska oblast is far larger. Ukrainian enemies are lying about evacuation\u201d<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n But then Saldo asked about help with \u201cevacuation\u201d – just in three days, on October 13! Marat Khusnullin, official \u201ccurator\u201d of Crimean issues in the Russian government, declared on the same day about assistance to Khersonska administration with evacuation of inhabitants \u201cto other regions of the country\u201d. Free of charge accommodation and help to receive permanent housing and other convenient conditions were <\/span>promised<\/span><\/a> to future refuges.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Thus, deportation was officially launched. <\/span>Here<\/span><\/a> you can read why we call it \u201cdeportation\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Vice-Prime-Minister of the Russian Federation Marat Khusnullin approves \u201cevacuation\u201d from Khersonska oblast, 13.10.2022. Photo: kherson-news.ru<\/p><\/div>\n Kherson children, school holidays and camps were used by Russians as the smokescreen for deportation. All children were brought to Yevpatoria. The Association of Reintegration of Crimea wrote on October 29 that they were placed in five camps: \u201cDruzhba\u201d, \u201cZdravnytsia\u201d, \u201cLuchisty\u201d, \u201cMria\u201d and \u201cChaika\u201d. Some children began protesting when they were told they would not be returned home. As an outcome, \u201ccurators\u201d of children\u2019s camps were <\/span>strengthened<\/span><\/a> by \u201ckozaks\u201d and \u201carmed volunteers\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 12-13 years old girl in \u201cLuchisty\u201d camp <\/span>asked<\/span><\/a> Saldo on October 8 to get children\u2019s parents from Kherson to Crimea. Kakhovka high school students confirmed to Russian journalists on November 6 that they were taken from their home city for two weeks at the beginning of October but then their holidays in the camp were prolonged as <\/span>\u201cevacuation\u201d started<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Russian \u201cholidays\u201d are stressful for children. For school pupils, the perspective to get separated from mother and father seems to be the scariest nightmare.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cUkrainian children are lagging behind Russian school program\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n Elena Romanovskaya<\/span><\/a>, \u201cvice-prime-minister of the Republic of Crimea, minister of labor and social protection\u201d, became \u201ccurator\u201d of children\u2019s \u201cholidays\u201d in Crimea. She has been among the first occupation public officials to announce Crimean \u201cholidays\u201d on October 6. Later on the press service of \u201cthe Council of Ministries of Crimea\u201d <\/span>confirmed<\/span><\/a> that 5 Yevpatoria sanatoriums and children\u2019s camps were selected to host \u201cevacuated\u201d school children from Khersonska and Zaporizka oblasts. \u201cLuchisty\u201d, \u201cDruzhba\u201d and \u201cMechta\u201d belongs to so-called \u201cDUP RK \u201cSolnechnaya Tavrika\u201d, the largest Crimean conglomerate of sanatorium and resort institutions. \u201cChaika\u201d and \u201cZdravnytsia\u201d are registered as separate legal entities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Elena Romanovskaya, \u201cvice-prime-minister and minister of labor and social protection of the Republic of Crimea\u201d, Photo: RIA Novosti<\/p><\/div>\n From the very beginning Russian occupants did not hide that \u201cholidays\u201d of children from occupied Khersonska and Zaporizka oblasts have propaganda purposes. For example, Elena Romanovskaya <\/span>stated<\/span><\/a>: <\/span>\u201cIt is important for us that study will not stop for children. We talked with minister of education of Crimea about teaching Russian language, history and literature. We will start with Crimean history, Crimean \u201cSpring\u201d. We will make children friends with Crimean children, organize excursions\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n School children were handled by volunteers of Russian propaganda movement #\u043c\u044b\u0432\u043c\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0435. They had to attend Russian patriotic propaganda lessons \u201c<\/span>Razgovory o vazhnom<\/span><\/a>\u201d [Talks about important]. The Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation tried in August 2022 to use these lessons to justify \u201cde-militarization and de-nazification\u201d of Ukraine, \u201cspecial military operation\u201d, \u201cheroes of the special military operation\u201d etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Children without their families were brought from Kherson region to Crimea as well as to the territory of the Russian Federation. The first train with \u201cKherson refuges\u201d came to Anapa (Rostovska oblast in Russia) on October 11, 2022. Official decision about \u201cevacuation\u201d was not yet taken at that moment. As the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation reported, the majority of 500 train passengers were children, including children from children\u2019s houses. Donetsk story of February 2022 was <\/span>repeated<\/span><\/a> with Kherson residents,\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is impossible to determine now the exact number of Kherson children whom Russian deported without their parents to Crimea or Russia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cParents do not try to contact their children\u2026\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n Anna Kuznetsova, the Deputy Head of the State Duma of the Russin Federation, visited sanatorium \u201cZdravnytsia\u201d in Yevpatoria on November 2, 2022. Sanatorium has hosted children brought from occupied Khersonska and Zaporizka oblasts since October 9. Kuznetsova, the former Russian children\u2019s ombudswoman, emphasized that children could \u201clag behind school program\u201d. Children perceived Russian language teaching courses bad whereas high school students were not prepared to pass Russian final exams. It was easier for the first class pupils as \u201cthey started from scratch\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Nobody doubted that Russian occupation authorities would impose Russian education \u201cstandard\u201d. Moscow does not recognize its aggression and does not fulfill its obligations as the state-occupant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Anna Kuznetsova, the Deputy Head of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, in sanatorium \u201cZdravnytsia\u201d, Yevpatoria, 02.11.2022. Photo: screenshot of video kherson-news.ru<\/p><\/div>\n Kuznetsova also pronounced <\/span>far more dangerous theses<\/span><\/a>. Ukrainian human rights activists and public officials suspected such theses would be the true purpose of \u201cholidays\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Here is what Kuznetsova said:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThere is another problem. Parents of the one third of children did not contact them. Their children are here but we do not know where their parents are. They do not show interest towards their children\u201d.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Next step is \u201cthe adoption of children abandoned by their parents\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What is the scale of the Russian \u201cevacuation\u201d of Ukrainian children? Russian propaganda channels reported about 850 children brought to Yevpatoria from occupied territories of Khersonska and Zaporizka oblasts. Since the beginning of the Russian full scale invasion in February 2022, Russians have brought over 10 thousand Ukrainian children from Ukraine to Russian regions, in accordance with the data of the Ukrainian Center of National Resistance. Some of them are orphans others do have parents. It means Russians <\/span>force<\/span><\/a> Ukrainian parents to go to Russia and look for their children around an immense country.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Valentina Lavrik, so-called \u201cminister of education, science and youth affairs of Crimea\u201d, declared on November 8 that 9,6 thousand children from Khersonska, Zaporizka oblasts and so-called \u201cDNR\u201d and \u201cLNR\u201d were <\/span>able to spend their summer holidays<\/span><\/a> in Crimea this year. <\/span>545 children<\/span><\/a> from Zaporizka and Khersonska oblasts recently stayed in Crimean camps, in accordance with information of Russian \u201cKrym-24\u201d TV channel. Their number was 850 children, as it has been announced at the earlier meeting with Kuznetsova.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/investigator.org.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/volodymyr_saldo_evpatoriya.png\")
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