On 8 July, Russia officially declared Yale University, one of the most renowned universities in the world, an “undesirable organization” on its territory. Its lab tracked more than 30,000 Ukrainian children abducted by Russia and provided the data to Ukrainian and US government authorities, Current Time reports.

Following this designation, any cooperation with Yale University in Russia is prohibited, and individuals face criminal liability for violations.

According to a statement by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office, Yale’s activities are allegedly aimed at violating its territorial integrity, contributing to the international blockade of the state, and undermining its economy.

The statement also specifically mentioned Yale’s School of Global Affairs, which, according to Russian authorities, “trains opposition leaders of foreign countries.”

A likely reason for such a move is the investigative work of Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab, which had been gathering evidence of Russian war crimes in Ukraine, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 

The university’s team provided their findings to Ukrainian authorities through the Bring Kids Back UA campaign, a humanitarian program initiated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The campaign focuses on returning minors to Ukraine, reintegration efforts, and documenting crimes for potential prosecution at the International Criminal Court.

The Yale researchers not only tracked deported children but also documented other alleged Russian crimes, including filtration camps, forced Russian citizenship, re-education camps for minors, and the transfer of Ukrainian children to Russian families.

However, as of 1 July 2025, the lab ceased operations following cuts in federal funding by the administration of US President Donald Trump.