Possibility of Compelling a Ukrainian Teen to Serve in the Russian Army

A 17-year-old Ukrainian named Bogdan Yermokhin, who was taken from Ukraine to Russia, may be forced to join the Russian army and fight against his own country. Bogdan, who originally lived in Mariupol, attempted to return to Ukraine in March but was stopped by Russian border guards. Now, he has been ordered to report to a draft center in the Moscow region once he turns 18. Bogdan was orphaned in 2014 and lived with a foster family in Mariupol before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In 2022, Mariupol was taken over by Russian forces, and Bogdan ended up in Russia, though it remains unclear how or why he was moved. Russia's children's rights commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, claimed that he was among Ukrainian children found by Russian soldiers during the siege on the city. Ukraine has accused Russia of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children to Russia, potentially constituting a war crime. Russia denies these accusations and asserts that the children were taken into Russian territory for their own safety. Recently, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Lvova-Belova and President Vladimir Putin, stating that Russia aimed to permanently remove the children from Ukraine. Bogdan Yermokhin was first transferred to Donetsk in Russian-occupied Ukraine and later to a youth summer camp in the Moscow region with a group of 30 Ukrainian children. Eventually, he was placed with a local foster family in Russia and given Russian documents. He continued his studies at a college in Russia, and Lvova-Belova claimed he worked at a summer camp to integrate teenagers from Russian-occupied Ukraine. However, in addition to his Russian documents, Bogdan has recently received Russian call-up papers. His legal guardian in Russia, Irina Rudnitskaya, believes he is not at risk because new recruits do not participate in the Special Military Operation, Russia's term for its war in Ukraine. However, it has been documented by the BBC that new recruits have been sent to the front line. In April 2023, Lvova-Belova stated that Bogdan attempted to return to Ukraine on his own but was caught by Russian border guards. Russian authorities and state TV journalists claim that he was deceived and manipulated by Ukrainian authorities trying to lure him back to Ukraine. Before his failed attempt, another Ukrainian teenager placed in a Russian foster family successfully returned to Ukraine. Bogdan Yermokhin's Russian foster family and former Ukrainian guardians confirm that Russian authorities consider him a Russian citizen. However, under international law, issuing documents in occupied territories is illegal, and Ukraine considers him a Ukrainian citizen. Irina Rudnitskaya says he is studying at a college near Moscow and receives a scholarship and a flat to live in as an orphan. Russia denies engaging in any illegal activity concerning Ukrainian children and states that only mothers or close relatives can bring their children back to Ukraine in person. This is often impractical, especially when the child is orphaned or relatives cannot travel. Bogdan Yermokhin has not spoken to independent media, so his plans once he turns 18 are unknown.