Russian propagandists invented mobilization of minor orphans in Ukraine

Last week, Russian Telegram channels and media intensified an information campaign about the mobilization of children into the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. At first, they reported that the first teenagers trained in the Haidamatska Sich educational center had allegedly been called up to the 103rd brigade of territorial defense forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to them, this center is intended to teach orphans the minimum skills of military training. One of those allegedly mobilized is a 17-year-old boy with the call sign "Yunha." A few days later, the Russians decided to reinforce this narrative with the news that the commander of the 103rd brigade was happy with the mobilization of minors and that almost a whole platoon of them was already being trained.

The post comes with a photo of some of these young men. The propagandists also reported that the mobilization of minors is carried out by the commander of the 103rd brigade of territorial defense forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valerii Kurko, and the head of the Haidamatska Sich educational center, Vadym Arnaut, who also serves in the same brigade.

This is a fake news story. The head of the center, Arnaut, said in a comment to Ukrinform that the activities of the educational center were aimed at ensuring the comprehensive development and national-patriotic education of children and young people.

"In these fields, we are working with educational institutions and conducting many of our own events. As for the training camps, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the center has been working mainly with our permanent students," he said.

Arnaut also said that it was not that easy to join the center and that the work was carried out with small groups, which young people can join only after a serious interview with their parents.

"We have never had campers with the call sign 'Yunha.' Some of our students today are really defending our country with weapons in their hands. But the youngest of them is 21 years old. It is worth emphasizing that all of them serve in elite military units," he concluded.

The fact that the photo the Russians used to illustrate the mobilized orphans was taken from the website of the Ivan Bohun Kyiv Military High School indicates that the Russians are spreading fake information about Haidamatska Sich.

Earlier, Russian propagandists already tried to discredit Ukrainian patriotic organizations.

Dmytro Badrak