Author:
Yuliia Didenko
According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), one in five Ukrainians recruited by Russian intelligence services is underage. The enemy is actively targeting children through social media, exploiting their trust and lack of life experience. But the problem runs much deeper: amid the war, Ukrainian teenagers are forced to shape their national identity while facing language conflicts, performative patriotism at school, and constant manipulation from the aggressor.
How can children be protected from recruitment? Why can an aggressive approach to the language issue backfire? And is it true that the new generation of Ukrainians demonstrates a high level of civic awareness despite all challenges? Olena Rozvadovska, co-founder and Chair of the Board of the Voices of Children Foundation, shared her insights in an interview with the NV news outlet.
How can children be protected from recruitment? Why can an aggressive approach to the language issue backfire? And is it true that the new generation of Ukrainians demonstrates a high level of civic awareness despite all challenges? Olena Rozvadovska, co-founder and Chair of the Board of the Voices of Children Foundation, shared her insights in an interview with the NV news outlet.
Why Teenagers Become Targets for Enemy Intelligence Services
The enemy actively uses children to prepare sabotage and terrorist acts on Ukrainian territory. Russia invests heavily in recruitment through social networks, such as Telegram and TikTok. Today’s children spend most of their time online, and that’s where recruiters are waiting for them. Teenagers are especially vulnerable to manipulation due to their lack of life experience and understanding of responsibility for their actions. Hormonal changes, identity-seeking, and opposition to adults make them ideal targets for enemy intelligence. Unlike adults, children easily believe promises of impunity for their actions.
If these children don’t have a strong family support system and lack communication with their parents, they become easy prey for Russian intelligence services. They can be tempted by many things, including money,
Methods of Manipulation: From Blackmail to Fake Friendships
Russian intelligence services use a wide range of recruitment tactics. Most often, they offer teenagers easy money through Telegram channels or websites. A child might be promised a generous reward for what seems like a simple task—taking a photo of a military facility or passing on some information. But there are other methods too, such as blackmail with intimate photos or establishing trust-based “friendship.”
Sometimes a Russian agent pretends to be a child’s friend. Suddenly, there’s someone who listens and understands them. Then this person says, ‘Let’s cooperate,’ and by that point, the child is already open, because the connection is established,
The Language Issue: Conflict or Understanding
Children from all over Ukraine attend the Voices of Children Foundation’s camps. During the first few days, some of them speak Russian, but thanks to the fully Ukrainian-speaking environment, they naturally switch to Ukrainian over time. Olena Rozvadovska emphasizes that an aggressive approach to language issues only worsens the problem and creates unnecessary conflict.
Imagine a child who came from Melitopol, for example, fled shelling, and spoke Russian all their life. On the very first day at school, they’re told: ‘We don’t speak the dog’s [Russian] language here.’ It’s a shock for them. Shaming a child for that only strengthens their defensive position—it doesn’t change anything. My experience shows that no teenager has problems adapting if you show them openness and support,
The Danger of Performative Patriotism
Modern children are not ready to accept performative patriotism at school. Forced singing of the national anthem or obligatory embroidered shirts can provoke resistance—especially when imposed by school administrations without sincerity or understanding.
For most teenagers, this doesn’t resonate. As a result, they begin to perceive Ukraine only through this shallow lens—without roots or depth. That can become a real problem for the adaptation and integration of displaced children,
Instead, the most effective approach is to create open, welcoming environments where children feel genuinely accepted. When adults embody Ukrainian culture through kindness and empathy, children naturally absorb it. Working with teenagers should be based on long-term relationships and supportive environments, not coercion.
Civic Activism as a Generational Legacy
Despite all challenges, Ukrainian youth demonstrate a remarkable level of civic consciousness. A telling example was the protests on July 22 against the law limiting the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies, NABU and SAPO, where most participants were young people who were still children in 2014. This reflects the influence of the older generation’s active position.
Civic activism doesn’t appear out of nowhere—we inherit it. A new generation has grown up that takes to the streets to express their views because they’ve inherited this tradition and know it’s possible,
What Can Be Done to Counter the Threat
Years of work with children in conflict zones show that recruitment is a universal problem. Olena Rozvadovska recalls a trip to the United States, where police officers told her how Al-Qaeda once recruited migrant children through online communication. Even children who had grown up in America and never been to their historical homeland were lured by extremists. U.S. officers countered this by organizing community integration programs—playing basketball with kids or holding neighborhood days.
Although Ukraine’s context is different, the recruitment methods remain similar. The key is not to label children as sources of danger but to create an environment where they feel safe.
The full interview with Olena Rozvadovska is available to NV subscribers.
Although Ukraine’s context is different, the recruitment methods remain similar. The key is not to label children as sources of danger but to create an environment where they feel safe.
The full interview with Olena Rozvadovska is available to NV subscribers.
You can read our articles and watch our videos on YouTube to learn more about how Russian intelligence recruits Ukrainian teenagers—and how to protect your child.
If you notice your child’s sudden behavioral changes—irritability, withdrawal, expression of radical or unfamiliar ideas, hostility toward loved ones, or emotional distance from family—do not ignore these signs. These may be signs of harmful external influence.
If needed, reach out for help. Our free psychological support helpline for children and parents affected by the war is available daily: 0 800 210 106.
If you notice your child’s sudden behavioral changes—irritability, withdrawal, expression of radical or unfamiliar ideas, hostility toward loved ones, or emotional distance from family—do not ignore these signs. These may be signs of harmful external influence.
If needed, reach out for help. Our free psychological support helpline for children and parents affected by the war is available daily: 0 800 210 106.
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