Child Abduction in the War in Ukraine

This book examines Russia's systematic deportation, forcible transfer, indoctrination, and assimilation of Ukrainian children as a deliberate strategy of war designed to erase Ukrainian identity.Drawing on a layered conceptual framework that integrates occupation governance, imperial identity politics (Russkiy Mir), and intergenerational trauma, the book explains how the removal of children extends beyond physical displacement to reshape identity, memory, citizenship, and national belonging. The study employs a mixed-methods, comparative-historical research design combining more than 50 semi-structured interviews with returned young adults, caregivers, government officials, legal experts, investigators, humanitarian practitioners, and civil society leaders, identified through purposive and snowball sampling. These original interviews are complemented by governmental and NGO reports, international legal materials, investigative journalism, open-source intelligence, and Ukrainian- and Russian-language sources. By treating these child abductions as a core element of war crimes, the book reframes the conversation and fills an important gap in both academic research and public discourse. It also offers practical insights into accountability, child protection, and trauma-informed reunification.This book will be of particular interest to students of war crimes, international law, Eastern European politics, and security studies, as well as policymakers, practitioners, journalists, and general readers.