New Report Details Russia’s Systematic Repression of Ukrainian Identity in Occupied Territories

New Lines Institute examines intelligence from the National Resistance Movement of Ukraine, shedding light on occupation as a systematic tool of warfare.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, May 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A comprehensive report released by New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy confirms the Russian occupation of Ukraine has intensified since 2022. These Russian actions are not a transient byproduct of war but a deliberate, multilayered system of control designed to erase Ukrainian identity, re-engineer demographics, and integrate these regions into the political, legal, economic, and information architecture of the Russian Federation.

“The evidence documented in this report reveals the repressive realities faced by Ukrainian civilians living under Russian occupation. The international community cannot continue to normalize the war crimes of forced assimilation, demographic engineering, and the dismantling of an occupied population’s identity.” – Emily Prey, Director of the Mass Atrocities and International Law Portfolio at New Lines Institute

Author Megan Gittoes draws on information gathered through engagement with resistance networks operating under occupation, key informant interviews, and open-source intelligence. She analyzes hundreds of eyewitness accounts, documenting how Russian authorities are systematically dismantling civil society and political life across occupied Ukrainian territories.

The report concludes that Russian tactics first used after its 2014 annexation of Crimea have expanded significantly since the full-scale invasion. These patterns include:

- Forced acquisition of Russian passports tied to freedom of movement and suppression of Ukrainian identity.

- Child militarization and political indoctrination via re-education institutions and camps.

- Civilian detention, forced conscription, and religious persecution.

- Population displacement and demographic engineering.

- Information control, surveillance, and aggressive censorship.

Gittoes also highlights how civilian resistance efforts in occupied territories continue to operate underground in the face of this escalating repression.

She ends the analysis with a call for Western governments and international institutions to increase pressure on Russia through coordinated sanctions, accountability mechanisms for occupation crimes, and stronger support for civilians living under Russian control. It warns that failing to confront practices such as demographic engineering, forced assimilation, and annexation risks undermining global security norms and sets a dangerous precedent for future conflicts.

Read the full report here.

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To learn more about New Lines Institute’s Ukraine work, research, and analysis, visit our website.  

About New Lines:

New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy is a global think tank based in Washington, D.C., working to enhance U.S. foreign policy based on a deep understanding of the geopolitics of the different regions of the world and their value systems. Funding for New Lines is provided by the Washington Institute for Education and Research, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit registered in Washington, D.C.

Rachna Mehta
New Lines Institute
+1 475-213-6650
rmehta@newlinesinstitute.org
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