Quotes of the Week

Week-ending 17 July 2026

“Russia is using schools to teach Ukrainian children loyalty to the Kremlin, glorify the Russian invasion, and prepare them to go to war against their own people. Governments should keep these abuses high on their agenda with Russia; and Ukraine and its partners should increase education and mental health support for children from occupied territories.”

– Bill Van Esveld, associate children’s rights director at Human Rights Watch

Source: ‘Ukraine: Russian-Run Schools Violate Children’s Rights,’ Human Rights Watch, 16 July 2026

Background from Human Rights Watch: Russian authorities in occupied Ukrainian territories are forcing Ukrainian children into a school system that violates their right to education and seems designed to destroy their Ukrainian national identity, Human Rights Watch said today. The education system mirrors Russia’s national curriculum and excludes Ukrainian-language instruction. Occupation authorities surveil and punish children for studying in Ukrainian schools online, require students to obtain Russian passports to graduate, indoctrinate children with anti-Ukraine propaganda and militaristic lessons, and channel boys toward Russian military registration and conscription. An estimated 1.6 million children, 600,000 of whom are school-age, remain in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. 

‘Most of the local teachers had quit along with the administration, so the occupying authorities hired a former local beautician to serve as principal […]. Most of the teachers seemed unqualified. But the worst part was the ubiquitous propaganda. Erasing everything Ukrainian seemed to be the primary goal: the teachers taught Russian language and Russian literature—but not Ukrainian language or literature. They also made students learn and recite Russian patriotic poems. And then there were the mandatory “Conversations about Important Things”—lessons during which teachers sang the praises of Russia’s “special military operation,” showed films glorifying the war against Ukraine and the occupation, and spoke of the “heroic Russian soldiers” who “liberated” Mariupol and other Ukrainian cities. Sometimes, Russian soldiers came to speak; promising Russian “liberation” of all Ukraine, they urged the children to become Russian patriots “always at the ready to defend the Motherland.” […] The schools held Russian patriotic events during which students had to march around with Russian flags, singing about the great Russian state and the glorious Russian army. The school was plastered with posters of Russian soldiers, photographs of the Red Square with captions proclaiming Russia the “Motherland,” and portraits of Russian President Putin. When two Russian youth organizations, “Movement of the First” and “The Young South [of Russia],” conducted events on school grounds, students were forced to become members, participate, and wear T-shirts with their logos.’ 

– Tanya Lokshina, Senior Associate Director, Europe and Central Asia Division

Source: ‘Witness: “Conversations about Important Things”,’ Human Rights Watch, 16 July 2026

Background from Human Rights Watch: “Dmytro” is 18 now, technically an adult but still your typical gawky teenager, thin as a rail. He and his sister, “Halya,” a feisty ten-year-old with pink barrettes in her shiny blond hair, spoke to my colleague and me in November 2025 as we investigated violations of the right to education in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. Although we met them in a village in Ukrainian-controlled territory, they’d spent over three years living under occupation. […] Dmytro and Halya escaped the occupation, but the effects the education system imposed on them haven’t ended. Years of intimidation, forced Russification, propaganda, and military pressure continue to shape how they see school, their language, and their place among other Ukrainians. Ensuring they experience their right to education as intended under human rights standards means more than giving them a place in a classroom. It also means providing the academic, linguistic, and psychological support they need to feel safe, develop, and thrive there.

‘It is almost four years since the Russians abducted Ukrainian lawyer Yevhen Ilchenko from outside his home in occupied Melitopol.  He remains in captivity, although there is nothing to suggest that any charges have been laid.  Yevhen Ilchenko was the first of a large number of Melitopol journalists or Telegram channel administrators seized by the invaders for their unconcealed pro-Ukrainian position and / or for writing honestly about life under Russian occupation.’  

– Halya Coynash, Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group

Source: Tortured Ukrainian lawyer held incommunicado since July 2022 for writing the truth about Russian occupation of Melitopol, KHPG, 17 July 2026

Background from KHPG: RIA-South learned almost immediately of Ilchenko’s abduction on 10 July 2022.  Three cars, one bearing the Russian ‘z’ symbol of its war of aggression against Ukraine, had driven up to his building when he stepped out to throw out rubbish.  Men in black uniforms and balaclavas seized Ilchenko and forced him into one of the cars.  They then burst into the apartment, locking Yevhen’s wife and daughter in one room, while they proceeded to carry out what RIA-South called their standard activity – robbery.  They removed all computer technology; electronic clocks; telephones; Ukrainian SIM-carts; passports; and documents for the apartment. The Memorial Support for Political Prisoners Project, which has declared Ilchenko a political prisoner, notes that in May 2022, Ilchenko had created a Telegram channel [«Милый Тополь»] where he wrote about what was happening in Melitopol under Russian occupation, making his strong opposition very clear.  In one post, he wrote that he had learned of a “delegation”, including Russians with machine guns, who had gone around apartment blocks looking for empty apartments.  He asked his readers to support their neighbours who had been forced to flee and do everything possible to stop the Russians from seizing their properties.

“Just half an hour ago, I was terribly bored on the Vilnius–Riga bus, wondering how to pass the time. I’m on holiday right now and had even forgotten it was Friday. And then dozens of messages from friends! Well, at least I’m not bored on the journey anymore. There’s nothing good about being given this status, but of course I’m not going to be particularly upset either. Well, they’ve declared it, and that’s that, nothing terrible. Support OVD-Info with a donation if you can.”

– Aleksandr Polivanov, former director of OVD-Info

Source: ‘Former OVD-Info director Aleksandr Polivanov has been declared a “foreign agent”.’ OVD-Info, 17 July 2026

Background from OVD-Info: We have explained in detail exactly how ‘foreign agent’ legislation works here.

According to the ‘Political Prisoners. Memorial’ human rights project, at least 5,648 people in Russia and the occupied Ukrainian territories have been deprived of liberty with signs of political motivation. This is a minimum estimate — we believe that in reality the number may be at least twice as high.

– Political Prisoners. Memorial

Source: ‘Database of the project “Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial”,’ Political Prisoners. Memorial, 16 July 2026

Background from Political Prisoners. Memorial: The information in the public database is updated daily in real time. View the database. For journalists and researchers, we can provide additional data. To obtain it, please write to our bot.