Russia forcibly passportizing children in occupied territories – UK intel
According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the UK Ministry of Defence on the social media platform X, citing intelligence data.
UK intelligence drew attention to a new law adopted in Russia that requires Ukrainian children in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to hold Russian passports to travel abroad. The requirement does not apply to travel to Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, or to the Russian-occupied territories of Georgian. The law reportedly entered into force on January 20, 2026, and applies to all children under the age of 14 on the territory of Russia and in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine.
“The Russian law is highly likely intended to increase the difficulties for Ukrainians with children seeking to leave those areas of Ukraine currently under Russian control. It also amounts to a further addition to the Russian senior leadership’s long-standing Russification policy in occupies Ukrainian territory, which seeks to extirpate Ukrainian culture, identity, and statehood,” the intelligence report states.
According to the report, the law follows a decree signed by Russian Pesident Vladimir Putin on March 20, 2025, which requires Ukrainian citizens living in Russia or in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine to “settle their legal status” by September 10, 2025, or leave the territory.
“This was almost certainly intended to compel Ukrainian nationals living in areas under Russian control to accept Russian passports and citizenship. Male Ukrainians aged 18–30 who hold Russian passports are liable for conscription into the Russian military,” the report noted.
As reported by Ukrinform, as of December 10, 2025, Ukraine had returned 1,902 children from Russia and from occupied territories.
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