Russia prepares deportation of Ukrainians to Siberia, echoing Soviet-era practices

Russian authorities are reportedly preparing a new wave of deportations from occupied Ukrainian territories, in a move that Ukrainian officials and historians say echoes some of the darkest chapters of the 20th century. 

According to Ukraine’s National Resistance Center (NRC), Moscow intends to relocate residents of temporarily occupied cities and villages to Siberia under the guise of a massive development initiative. 

“Russia is launching a 700-billion-ruble ‘Siberian Development Program,’ but behind the grand slogans lies preparation for the mass relocation of residents from occupied Ukrainian territories,” the NRC said.

Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoygu is promoting the plan as an “industrial project,” but in reality, it is seen as a new wave of imperial deportations, the NRC said.

“The first stage has already begun in the occupied territories: schools, hospitals, and utilities are receiving closed letters demanding they identify ‘employees for long-term assignments’ to the Russian Far East,” the statement said.

The program targets primarily individuals “without family obligations,” the most vulnerable, those who can be relocated without resistance or attention.

“This is a repeat of Soviet-era ‘organized recruitment’ practices, which were once used to deport Crimean Tatars, Ukrainians, Chechens, and other peoples,” the NRC said.

The process follows a familiar pattern: passport registration, “assignments,” participation in “state resettlement programs,” and ultimately, a demographic transformation of the territories.

“Siberia is largely depopulated, and Russians don’t want to move there, so the Kremlin plans to build its ‘new empire’ using Ukrainians forcibly removed from their homes,” the NRC said.