Sacralized Artek: The Fate of the International Children's Center After the Occupation of Crimea

Over its century-long history, the Artek International Children's Center has undergone numerous organizational transformations, evolving from an All-Union children's camp into a state-owned enterprise. However, Russia's occupation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 once again fundamentally changed Artek's destiny.

It should first be noted that following the occupation of Crimea, part of the staff of the Artek International Children's Center relocated to mainland Ukraine, where the institution continued its activities. As a result, two new camps were established: one at the Bukovel mountain resort in the Ivano-Frankivsk region and another in Pushcha-Vodytsia, near Kyiv.

Meanwhile, in occupied Crimea, on 16 June 2014, the so-called Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution "International Children's Center Artek" (FSBEI ICC Artek) was established in Hurzuf. The functions of the founder were transferred to the Ministry of Education and Science of the occupying state, and a draft "development programme for the center" was subsequently prepared.

Artek's "Development Programme" Under the Occupation Authorities

As of 1 June 2014, according to occupation-controlled media, the infrastructure of the children's center comprised more than 400 buildings and facilities, as well as a complex network of engineering systems for water, heat, and electricity supply, air conditioning, communications, and sewage, much of which had become technically obsolete. More than 80,000 square metres of buildings and facilities were reported to be fully depreciated, while over 15 kilometres of engineering networks required replacement. During the 2014 summer season, only five of Artek's ten camps were opened, and two of them were operating under only temporary authorization to receive children.

In the autumn of 2014, the occupation authorities launched what they described as "landscaping, reconstruction, and major renovation works" at Artek. Approximately 5 billion Russian rubles (around UAH 3 billion) were allocated from the budget of the occupying state for these purposes.

As a result of the so-called "reconstruction" carried out in 2014–2015, nine of Artek's ten camps, together with the Vozhaty ("Camp Counselor") Complex, resumed operations. More than 280,000 square metres of facilities were reconstructed, renovated, or newly built. This included 96,500 square metres of buildings across nine camps, 23 kilometres of roads, 19 kilometres of engineering infrastructure, six dining halls, nine sports grounds, three tennis courts, a sports and fitness center with two swimming pools, as well as recreational areas and beaches. A modern climbing wall, a rope park, and a 6,000-square-metre center for supplementary education were also commissioned.

The occupation authorities also initiated the development of a "new concept for the center's development," for which 894 expert opinions were reportedly collected. In addition to recreation and health improvement, innovative educational activities were designated as one of the center's priority areas. "Experts" from various regions of the occupying state were involved in developing Artek's "new educational technologies."

On 20 March 2015, during a press conference in Moscow, Artek's then "director," Aleksei Kasprzhak, presented a new system for allocating camp vouchers. Under this model, a place at Artek became a reward for children's achievements in various fields of activity.

Since then, Artek has continued to operate as a children's educational and recreational center, while its development programme has been continuously revised and expanded. The tradition of thematic camp sessions has also been maintained, with each session dedicated to a specific topic, such as space exploration, journalism, theatre, New Year celebrations, and others.

The educational process for children is organized through three formats: traditional classroom instruction, the Experimentarium, and Network Educational Modules (NEMs) — an educational model introduced specifically for the camp. Under this approach, children study in unfamiliar environments outside conventional classrooms, including the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, Artek's parks, museums, and other locations. The Network Educational Modules were first implemented during the thematic session "He Said: 'Let's Go!'" in April 2016.

Under the so-called Federal Target Programme for the Development of the Occupied Crimea, budget allocations for Artek had reached 34 billion Russian rubles (approximately UAH 19.6 billion) by the autumn of 2019. The estimated total cost of reconstructing the camp amounted to 29 billion Russian rubles (approximately UAH 16.7 billion).

Since June 2016, Artek has been guarded by a brigade of the National Guard Troops of the occupying state.

In 2017, the Artek Arena concert and performance complex was completed. The venue has a seating capacity of 4,500 people and covers an area of 3,900 square metres.

In November 2025, a tourism cluster was commissioned within the Lazurny Children's Camp, featuring a rope park, a suspension bridge, and a 20-metre-high outdoor climbing wall.

As part of Artek's designation as an "experimental educational platform," the occupation authorities developed the educational programme of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution "International Children's Center Artek" (FSBEI ICC Artek). The programme sets out the methodological and regulatory framework for integrating general and supplementary education programmes implemented within this non-standard educational institution.

At present, Artek cooperates with 130 partner organizations in implementing more than 170 thematic supplementary educational programmes covering the social sciences and humanities, arts, law, technology, natural sciences, and physical education and sports.

As part of these thematic partnerships, the infrastructure supporting supplementary education has been expanded, including the establishment of technical laboratories and creative workshops.

On 10 February 2025, the staff of Artek was awarded the Order of Honour of the occupying state in recognition of its achievements in education, its contribution to children's upbringing and health improvement, and the 100th anniversary of the center's establishment.

At the same time, on 17 July 2023, against the backdrop of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Artek International Children's Center (ICC Artek) in occupied Crimea was added to the United Kingdom's sanctions list for its involvement in the Russian government's programme of the forced deportation and re-education of Ukrainian children. The UK Government stated that these sanctions would remain in force until Russia pays compensation to Ukraine.

On 24 August 2023, the International Children's Center Artek and its director, Konstantin Fedorenko, were also placed under United States sanctions targeting individuals and entities involved in the forcible transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia.

On 24 June 2024, Artek was added to the sanctions lists of the 27 Member States of the European Union.

As stated in the Official Journal of the European Union:

"Artek has been under the control of the Russian Ministry of Education since the illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol in 2014. Since the beginning of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, it has organized children's camps for children from Ukraine, including from the occupied regions of Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia. At these camps, children prepare informational materials for Russian soldiers participating in the war. In some cases, Ukrainian children have not been allowed to return home and have been forced to demonstrate their support for Russia."

More Than 70 Billion Rubles Allocated to Artek

Despite the sanctions imposed on Artek, they have not prevented the occupying authorities from planning its further "development." As became known in early 2026, the children's center is expected to receive tens of billions of rubles over the next five years for new projects. One of the largest of these will be the construction of an Artek branch on the Sea of Azov. The new camp is to be named "Red Carnation", and the occupying state has allocated 6.6 billion Russian rubles (approximately UAH 3.8 billion) for its design, reconstruction, construction, and subsequent landscaping.

According to the occupation authorities, the "Red Carnation Children's Center" will implement "a comprehensive set of educational programmes incorporating the best practices of the Artek International Children's Center in the fields of spiritual and moral education and civic-patriotic upbringing, with the aim of forming a generation of patriotically minded young people prepared for creative work for the benefit of the Russian Federation." This objective is set out in a decree of the government of the occupying state establishing the new center.

In addition, several other costly projects are planned to improve Artek's educational infrastructure and living conditions. For example, 30 billion Russian rubles (approximately UAH 17.3 billion) have been allocated for the construction and modernization of educational infrastructure within the children's center, while an additional 27 billion rubles (approximately UAH 15.6 billion) have been earmarked for related social infrastructure projects.

According to the government decree, these funds will be used to construct new buildings and renovate existing facilities within the camp. This is expected to increase the center's capacity to accommodate children for recreation and education, while modernizing the infrastructure needed to implement the educational programmes of the International Children's Center Artek.

However, construction and renovation are not the only priorities planned for Artek over the next five years. According to the programme, the camp's principal mission will be "to educate a generation of people capable of leading the country to the forefront of science, culture, and creativity."

To achieve these objectives, the children's center is expected to implement a series of initiatives grouped into five strategic areas. In addition to infrastructure development, these include education and the Artek pedagogical model; human capital for the future; international cooperation and the export of Russian education; and digital technologies for security and development.

Each strategic area encompasses several specific projects. For example, under the "Education and the Artek Pedagogical Model" programme, which has been allocated 4.3 billion Russian rubles (approximately UAH 2.5 billion), the occupation authorities plan by 2030 to modernize Artek's educational environment, expand its educational programmes, establish a tourism and education cluster, and further improve the quality standards of its educational ecosystem.

The "Human Capital for the Future" programme is also regarded as one of the key priorities of Artek's development strategy. Over the next five years, 25 million Russian rubles (approximately UAH 14.4 million) are to be allocated to create a more effective personnel management system, strengthen the institution's corporate culture, and establish a Higher School of Pedagogy.

The programme on "International Cooperation and the Export of Russian Education" is comparatively modest in financial terms. The occupation authorities intend to spend 75 million Russian rubles (approximately UAH 43.3 million) on attracting foreign children to Artek, expanding the center's international activities, and opening representative offices abroad.

In addition, the government of the occupying state plans to allocate 80 million Russian rubles (approximately UAH 46 million) to the programme "Digital Technologies for Security and Development." These funds are intended to modernize the center's network infrastructure and upgrade its digital educational platform.

According to calculations published by occupation-controlled media, the total funding allocated for implementing all projects under the International Children's Center Artek development programme will amount to 71.7 billion Russian rubles (approximately UAH 41.4 billion). According to the relevant government decree, financing will be provided through the state programmes "Development of Education" and "Socio-Economic Development of the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol," as well as from extra-budgetary sources.

It should be recalled that one of the most ambitious projects implemented by the occupation authorities at Artek in recent years has been the construction of the Solnechny (Sunny) Center for Innovative Educational Technologies. With a total area of more than 27,000 square metres, the facility is capable of accommodating more than 1,000 students at a time. It is equipped with modern classrooms, educational spaces, concert and rehearsal halls, a multifunctional sports complex, a medical center, a multipurpose auditorium seating 700 people, and a dining hall with 1,000 seats. According to the occupation authorities, these additions will enable Artek to host up to 50,000 children annually.

In addition, construction is nearing completion on the 16-storey "Vozhaty-2" building, designed to accommodate approximately 400 people. The building has a total floor area of more than 12,000 square metres.

How Artek Helps the Occupation Authorities Promote "Russian-Style Patriotism"

It should be noted that, in pursuing the camp's principal objective for the next five years — "to educate a generation of people capable of leading the country to the forefront of science, culture, and creativity" — the occupation authorities place particular emphasis on the so-called patriotic education of Russian youth, as well as children from other countries. It is precisely for this purpose that the occupying state is investing enormous financial resources in the construction, modernization, and innovative development of the children's center.

To this end, Artek regularly organizes camp-wide activities designed to cultivate what the occupation authorities describe as patriotism. These include daily flag-raising ceremonies, during which the state flag of the occupying state is raised by the camp's duty unit, followed by the performance of its national anthem.

In addition, Morskoi (Marine) Camp has established a specialized "Alpha" unit, whose stated mission is "to educate true citizens." Under the supervision of camp counselors and experienced instructors, participants receive training in the fundamentals of military skills, close-order drill, and mountaineering preparation.

In addition, during the annual camp sessions held to mark Victory Day, Artek hosts the St. George Ribbon campaign, which holds particular symbolic significance for the occupying state. As part of the initiative, children explain to their peers and younger participants the history and meaning of one of the occupation authorities' principal state symbols. The center also organizes ceremonial assemblies, concerts, and exhibitions of drawings and essays dedicated to the exploits of Soviet soldiers.

Furthermore, the children's center regularly conducts activities intended to "strengthen patriotic feelings and love for the Motherland." These include excursions to military history museums, battlefields, and memorial sites, including the "Krasny" Concentration Camp Memorial, located in Simferopol and dedicated to the victims of the Nazi occupation of Crimea between 1941 and 1944.

According to Konstantin Fedorenko, the "director" of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution "International Children's Center Artek" (FSBEI ICC Artek), visits to this memorial help schoolchildren understand "the horrific, inhuman nature of fascism."

"Together with Moscow Pedagogical State University and the Presidential Administration of the occupying state, we are implementing the project 'Without a Statute of Limitations.' It is intended for children aged 14 to 17. As part of the programme, we visit a unique educational site — the memorial located on the grounds of the former Krasny State Farm, where the largest concentration camp in Crimea operated during the occupation of the peninsula in the Second World War. Approximately 15,000 people were killed there. The excursion is emotionally challenging, but after a single visit older children begin to understand what fascism and Nazism are. They leave that place changed," the "director" of Artek said in one of his interviews with local media.

According to him, the educational programmes of the International Children's Center Artek are built upon what the occupation authorities describe as core spiritual and moral values, one of which is patriotism. As part of this approach, children visit the Alley of Artek Heroes and participate in excursions to Sevastopol.

"We have several approaches to patriotic education. One of them is the Alley of Artek Heroes, dedicated to former Artek participants who attended the camp between 1925 and 1941 and, during the Great Patriotic War, demonstrated themselves to be true patriots and citizens of a great country. Of these 25 individuals, only six lived to celebrate Victory, while eight were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Using the example of these former Artek participants, we build the patriotic component of our educational programme," Fedorenko said.

In his view, visiting the Alley of Artek Heroes is an essential part of every Artek participant's experience.

As part of its patriotic education programme, children also visit the city of Sevastopol, where they tour approximately thirty museum sites, including the 35th Coastal Battery Museum and Memorial Complex, dedicated to the heroic defenders of Sevastopol.

Fedorenko also recalled that, following instructions from Vladimir Putin, an Artek branch was opened in Sevastopol last year — the Korsun Children's Center, located within the New Chersonesos complex.

At the same time, Artek participants are actively involved in preparing and participating in activities such as theatrical performances devoted to the Great Patriotic War, sports competitions marking commemorative dates, and contests testing knowledge of Russian state symbols and history. The occupation authorities place particular emphasis on fostering children's respect for military veterans.

The center also organizes meetings with Russian servicemen participating in the war against Ukraine, as well as so-called "Lessons of Courage," during which children are told about the war through narratives that distort historical facts and portray Ukrainians in a negative light.

Another important component of "Russian-style patriotic education" is participation in volunteer activities. At the children's center, various events are organized in which children meet with volunteers, weave camouflage nets, write letters to Russian servicemen participating in the so-called "special military operation" (SMO), and take part in similar initiatives.

It is no coincidence that, in the first part of this study, we examined Artek's development during the Soviet period and independent Ukraine. The century-long history of this single children's center illustrates the evolution of approaches to educating young people: from the highly ideological Soviet model, in which the individual child was largely absorbed into the collective camp environment; through the Ukrainian period, which emphasized the development of an independent personality capable of initiative and self-realization; to the contemporary Russian model, characterized by militarization and the cultivation of children expected to remain within rigidly prescribed ideological boundaries.

It should be emphasized that this form of "patriotic education" occupies a central place not only at Artek but throughout Russia's educational system. It seeks to instill in younger generations of Russians — and, increasingly, children from occupied territories and other countries — the values considered essential by the occupying state, including loyalty to Russia's history, culture, and traditions. While such civic values exist in every country, in this case they are promoted through narratives built on historical distortion, hostility toward other states and neighboring nations, and the portrayal of the Russian nation as uniquely superior.

It is through this model of "civic and patriotic education" in Russian children's centers, schools, and kindergartens that a generation is being raised whose principal role, as critics argue, is to wage war.

Yevheniia BORYSENKO

Read also: The Artek Phenomenon: How the Children's Recreation Center Shaped the Consciousness of Generations Before the Occupation of Crimea.

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This material was prepared in partnership with the non-governmental organization Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights.