Missing Ukrainian Boy Surfaces as Russian Soldier

A Ukrainian teenager who disappeared after his village was occupied by Russian forces in February 2022 has resurfaced as a soldier fighting for Russia. Oleksandr Mustyatse, who was not yet 15 when his home in Krynky, Kherson region, was occupied, is now 19 and appears in photos on the Russian social network Vkontakte. The images show him posing in a military uniform and a cap bearing the 'Z' symbol, a Russian emblem of the war.

Mustyatse's reappearance has been documented by the Ukrainian activist group Back to Ukraine. When asked by the group why he is fighting for the Russian side, Mustyatse responded, "Russia has always been in my heart." His mother and her husband also reportedly live in Russia now, according to Vazhnyje istorii, an independent Russian journalism outlet.

This case is reportedly the first of its kind, according to Back to Ukraine. However, the forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia or to Russian-occupied territories has been a known tactic during the conflict. The UN has documented 1,200 such cases, while Ukraine estimates the number to be around 20,000, with just over 2,400 having returned. Russia claims these are temporary evacuations for safety reasons.

International Criminal Court (ICC) President Vladimir Putin and Russian Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova are wanted by the ICC for alleged war crimes related to these deportations. A report by War Child, the Human Security Center, and Save Ukraine detailed how 200 children reported experiencing indoctrination through school programs and activities, including "military-patriotic" camps where they were trained to handle weapons. The report suggests that for children living in such realities for years, war can become normalized and even seen as a duty.

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Russia has always been in my heart