“We’re currently observing a steady trend towards an increase in the number of appeals from children about recruitment attempts,” says Vasyl Bohdan, Head of the Juvenile Police of Ukraine, on the national joint 24/7 newscast, as reported by the Ukrinform news agency.
“As of today, almost 50 children have reported to the National Police that they had been contacted via messengers and social media by unknown persons from fictitious accounts who were agitating for arson attacks on military vehicles, government and local authority buildings, civilian and critical infrastructure, as well as collecting various information, for which they promised financial reward.”
Bohdan said that the Juvenile Prevention Unit of the National Police, together with the Security Service of Ukraine, is implementing an information campaign across Ukraine. During visits to schools, they hold lectures, discussions and open lessons for teenagers to raise their legal awareness.
Law enforcement officers also work with parents and teachers to explain how to recognise the signs of recruitment, how to talk to children and how to act in the event of a threat.
At first, children may be given simple tasks such as gathering information about the location of military facilities or distributing leaflets discrediting the Ukrainian Armed Forces or containing elements of Russian propaganda, before being assigned more complex missions.