Yale University researchers say major Russian state oil and gas companies Rosneft and Gazprom supported wartime camps where more than 2,000 Ukrainian children were taken, providing transport and funding that facilitated their relocation and indoctrination. The Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab (Yale HRL) described the findings, released last week, as the first “definitive public proof of these companies’ critical involvement in Russia’s systematic campaign of child deportation and indoctrination.”
Yale reported that roughly 2,158 children were moved to camps in Russian-occupied Ukraine and Russia between 2022 and 2025, including placement into pro-Russian educational programs. The conclusions were drawn from analysis of public statements, verified social media posts, corporate websites and records; Reuters could not independently confirm the report’s findings. Russia’s foreign ministry and Ukrainian authorities did not reply to requests for comment.
In response to Reuters, Gazprom said it owns several health resorts in Russia where Russian children spend summer vacations. Russia has consistently denied forcibly removing Ukrainian children, saying relocations were humanitarian. Moscow has previously dismissed Yale reports as anti-Russian propaganda. Rosneft’s lawyers told Reuters that Yale produced no evidence of the company’s participation in illegal activity and that Rosneft “categorically denies directing, controlling, or participating in any of the alleged conduct.”
Yale said at least 1,072 children from Russian-occupied Ukraine received vouchers from Gazprom subsidiaries and trade union organisations to attend pro-Russia camps in 2022 and 2023. Rosneft’s Interregional Trade Union allegedly sponsored 100 Ukrainian children to attend three camps in 2022. Rosneft’s lawyers noted the union is a separate legal entity under Russian law and said Yale offered no evidence that Rosneft “directed, controlled, authorised or even knew” of the union’s actions. Rosneft’s website emphasizes partnership with trade unions.
Michael McFaul, Stanford professor and former U.S. ambassador to Russia, disputed the independence of Rosneft’s union, saying Rosneft is an arm of the Russian government and that independent trade unions no longer exist under Putin’s rule.
Earlier in March, the United States temporarily lifted sanctions on sales of Russian-origin crude oil and petroleum products to help offset surging global prices after the war in Iran. A bipartisan group of 12 U.S. lawmakers cited Yale’s findings in urging a reinstatement of sanctions on Gazprom and Rosneft, which had been covered by the waiver. Ohio Representative Greg Landsman drafted a letter to the U.S. secretary of state and treasury secretary asserting that “the recent revelation of their direct involvement in Russia’s abduction of over 35,000 children from Ukraine is cause for significant alarm.” The letter sought sanctions against 35 additional entities identified by Yale and warned the 30-day sanctions waiver could yield about $12 billion in revenue for the two companies.
Under international law, forced deportation and transfer of children from occupied territory is a war crime regardless of motive; Ukraine has classified such transfers as crimes against humanity. Russian President Vladimir Putin and children’s rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova have been accused by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of deportation for the alleged illegal transfer of Ukrainian children, and the ICC issued arrest warrants for both. The ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor said it continues to receive reports about child deportations and may expand cases to include new suspects if evidence meets legal standards. Russia rejects the court’s allegations. Lvova-Belova has called the ICC accusations a “farce” and demanded specifics.
Yale’s latest report follows a September study by the same group alleging Russia had expanded a network of camps for military training, drone manufacturing and re-education of Ukrainian children to at least 210 facilities. Yale also said children from Ukraine were taken to at least six camps in Russia and occupied Crimea, including three camps owned by Gazprom subsidiaries as recently as 2025. The Kremlin did not respond to requests for comment on that report.
