Military engineers of the 68th engineering regiment of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation have organized classes with Crimean schoolchildren on the installation and neutralization of explosive devices in Yevpatoriia. The lesson was organised on the territory of one military base. There were present about one hundred schoolchildren, the youngest of them was 12 years old. It was demonstration for children not only how to neutralize, but also how to install mines. In addition, among the examples were homemade explosive devices and suicide belts.
The Russian military claimed that in such a way they try to involve children to a contract service in the Russian army in the future.
According to the Crimean human rights group information, there is a tendency to increase the number of recruits in Crimea. Only in 2017, about 5 thousand citizens of occupied Crimea were called up for urgent service in the Russian army, and during the last three years Russia called up about 10 thousand Crimeans to the army service.
The practice of calling up of the citizens of occupied territories to the ranks of the army of the occupying state, and the continuing propagation of service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation violate Article 51 of the Convention on the Protection of Civilians in Time of War (Fourth Geneva Convention), and the movement of called up Ukrainians from occupied territories to the territory of the Russian Federation violates Art. 49 of this Convention.
The expert of the Crimean Human Rights Group Alexander Siedov reported that as a result of active propaganda of the military service in the army of the state-occupier, a lot of Crimeans join the army themselves, but this doesn’t cancel the illegality of conscription.
The expert explained: “Some Crimeans really would like to serve in the Russian army. However, as a result of the international investigation of the facts of the illegal Russian military draft, there are objective chances to bring guilty to responsibility”.
The head of the Crimean Human Rights Group, Olga Skrypnyk, noted that the last resolution of the UN General Assembly adopted in 2017 regarding Crimea is tougher than the previous one on the issue of military draft on the occupied peninsula.
“If the previous resolution referred only to the prohibition of the draft to the aggressor’s army, but here is the aspect of military propaganda. It’s very important aspect for us” – reported Skrypnyk.
The Crimean human rights group reminds to Crimeans that it is possible to send materials to the e-mail of the CHRG ([email protected]) confirming the fact of the draft to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Crimea – draft notices, photos and videos. Confidentiality is guaranteed.
“Such evidences are important for increasing of pressure to Russia by international organizations such as the UN Security Council, and as a result, to stop the military draft in Crimea” – human rights activists added
