The Crimean human rights group together with the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol collected evidence and submitted a package of documents to the International Criminal Court proving the existence of a Russian war crime in the occupied Crimea.

This time, the court received documented facts of forcing Crimean people to serve in the armed forces of the occupying state through large-scale propaganda of such service among Crimean children.

In addition, the authors of the petition provided information about the criminal prosecution of residents of the peninsula for refusing to serve in the Russian army.

KPG expert Iryna Sedova says that until 2014, military-related events took place in Crimea, but not in such numbers.

“Indeed, every year in Kerch we had a tradition of making a torchlight procession. That is, there was no such strong paramilitary aspect. That is to honour the memory - yes, it was. But no more. Now there are threatening trends in all this", - she said.

Source: Suspilne Crimea

Sedova believes that the militarization of society is a threatening trend when it comes to a state that has occupied part of another country's territory. It is also considered a violation of the Law of Ukraine, as any military children's institution on the territory of Crimea is now considered propaganda of service in the Russian army.

"This topic is the subject of attention of human rights organizations and law enforcement agencies because we see this as a war crime. First of all, this is what government agencies do”, - she said.

Among the examples, the expert calls "KRYMPATRIOTCENTER". Their official website states that it is: "a state budget educational institution of additional education of the Republic of Crimea, a regional centre for training for military service and military-patriotic education."

Also one of the powerful state institutions is "DOSAAF" ("Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Aviation and Navy" - ed.). The organization's website states that it is an "All-Russian public organization, the purpose of which is to help strengthen the country's defence capabilities and national security".

These programs receive public funds and have integrated systems with the Russian Ministry of Education. These organizations have a large number of employees.

There are also non-governmental, public military children's organizations that receive additional funds from the fund of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Their grants state that the main purpose of the association is to prepare children for service in the Russian army.

Examples include the SIVASH military-patriotic centre, the Syny Otechestva Center for the Development of Patriotic and Sports Education, the UNARMYA All-Russian Children and Youth Association, and more.

Source: Suspilne Crimea

UNARMY in general has an ambitious goal that the association will work in every Crimean school. Can you imagine the scale? They knock on every village, every house and every family. Of course, not all children will take part, but some students will take part in it. Because parents will give their children there because it is free and it is leisure. Children are interested, they are allowed to disassemble and assemble weapons. If children around everyone are told that it is right and necessary, they need to love the Russian army, then they are growing up”, - Iryna Sedova said.

Also, among such associations, human rights activists found a "brotherhood of Orthodox spies". It is also a militarized children's institution, based on the Crimean Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church.

“There, these children are taught to receive helicopter signals, to hide in the woods. That is the basics of intelligence. Children are taught to worship saints who are considered patrons of the Russian army and navy. This is Fedor Ushakov, for example. His relics are brought to the church, children go there to worship these relics. That is, it also comes to this. Because of religion, they are immersed in children's heads”, - Sedova stressed.

According to the program of distribution of the Russian budget, 500 million rubles are invested in the development of militarization of children and youth. This program should be implemented within the next 5 years.

"Russian propaganda works very well: children wear the same military uniform, take part in parades, they are awarded honours for success in military affairs. Children feel special. Their parents, teachers, and society emphasize that being Russian is significant and prestigious. But no one emphasizes that all such associations and clubs teach children only two things: to kill and die", - the expert concluded.