Despite the assurances given by Russia when it annexed the Crimea and the fact that there are three state languages – Ukrainian, Russian and Crimean Tatar, the time assigned to each in Crimean schools is totally disproportionate

On Sept 10 heavily armed Kremlin-backed militants from the self-proclaimed Donetsk people’s republic took control of Donetsk National University

Only the Ukrainian lyceum in Simferopol is providing a first grade class with all teaching in the Ukrainian language. Children will, however, be forced to change to Russian in the two final years of school placing them, as well as Crimean Tatar students studying in Crimean Tatar, at a severe disadvantage when taking vital school-leaving exams.

40 children from a Luhansk children’s home abducted by Kremlin-backed militants on Saturday are now in Ukraine and safe, however militants are still refusing to allow the evacuation of other children with medical conditions from the area of fighting

40 infants in need of constant medical care have been abducted by Kremlin-backed militants from a children’s home in Luhansk who were planning to take them – without the necessary documentation and vital medical records into Russia.

150 children from two school orphanages have become hostages to the Kremlin-backed militants and are again in danger of being taken, against their will, to Russia.

The Donetsk Regional Administration has reported that the Donetsk Regional Children and Youth Centre in Donetsk has been seized after it refused to accept control by the Kremlin-backed militants’ self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.

Up till 2014 Crimean Tatar was only taught at two universities or institutes in the Crimea. The fate of the specialization offered at the Tavria University in Simferopol appears to be under threat.

Armed fighters from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic are turning up at Donetsk National University student hostels and demanding to see lists of foreign students; students from Western Ukraine and those who hold pro-Ukrainian views.

The questionnaires sent out to parents in Crimean schools may be yet another attempt to remove language options claiming that this is what parents want

The Russian Education Ministry has announced that Ukrainian in Crimean schools will be retrained as teachers of Russian. Not only is the main language of tuition changing at the Ukrainian Lyceum in Simferopol, but a Russian flag has now been raised over it

Natalya Rudenko, head of the only Ukrainian lyceum in Simferopol and one of only 5 in the Crimea has been forced to resign under pressure from officials and the self-styled leader Sergei Aksenov’s vigilantes

A Luhansk court has rejected a civil suit brought by a parent against the local authorities for making his school student son, and other kids, take part in an event which he considers a pretext for promoting the ruling Party of the Regions

Estimates of 60 million UAH paid to bring public sector workers to Kyiv from around the country to take part in the pro-government demonstration

A Luhansk resident has taken the authorities and the Party of the Regions to court because his school student son was forced to take part in an event which he believes to have been a pretext for promoting the Party of the Regions

The words in the title reflect the bitter reality as seen by 26-year-old Vladimir Melnkikov, raised from earliest childhood in a Ukrainian orphanage. Willing to work hard and make his own way in life, he needs just one thing – an affordable roof over his head. Little to ask given the number of laws which supposedly protect the rights of orphans, and yet even that has been denied him.

On moves heightening division within the country, demonstrated even in controversial changes to the history syllabus and a book, published with local authority funding, which repeats Soviet lies about the Crimean Tatars. .

The diary for all Crimean school students drawn up by the Crimean Education Ministry and to be handed out free of charge on the first day of school is seriously slanted in favour of the ruling Party of the Regions

New research has been published on prevention of torture and ill-treatment of children and adolescents in conflict with the law in Ukraine.

The State is not capable of ensuring proper education; socialization and rehabilitation for children in institutions and therefore many of those leaving school orphanages cannot adapt in society and quite often end up in adult institutions.