MOSCOW, Sept 18 (Reuters) – Russia’s Foreign Ministry has vehemently rejected a report from Yale’s School of Public Health, labeling it as anti-scientific propaganda filled with baseless claims and dubious data. The report, published earlier this week, alleged that over 210 sites in Russia are being used for the forced re-education of Ukrainian children, including military training and drone manufacturing, as part of a large-scale deportation program. Maria Zakharova, the ministry’s spokesperson, dismissed the findings during a press briefing, questioning the methodology and integrity of the data collection. She specifically criticized Yale’s estimate that 35,000 Ukrainian children had been illegally deported or displaced, calling it ‘fake fabrications’ and accusing the institution of failing to verify its claims. Zakharova further suggested that the report was part of a broader Western propaganda campaign aimed at justifying the seizure of Russian assets. Ukraine, however, maintains that over 19,500 children have been forcibly relocated to Russia and Belarus, a violation of the Geneva Conventions. Zakharova noted that the only official list of children provided to Russia contained 339 names, shared during negotiations in Istanbul in June 2025. The escalating dispute highlights the ongoing tensions between Russia and the West over the treatment of Ukrainian children amidst the conflict.