Russia and China plan to establish an educational enclave in occupied Luhansk. It is planned that a school with 300 places for children from the PRC will be opened in this enclave. China is also considering the possibility of training its students and developing business in this territory.
High schools in China are paid, so some parents are looking for cheaper alternatives abroad. Russian occupiers are offering Ukrainian territories as a site for education.
In June 2025, representatives of China met with the head of the occupation 'Ministry of Education of the LPR' Ivan Kusov to discuss various cooperation opportunities, including the creation of joint ventures and student training.
«If the school will have at least 300 students, how many families will come? How many specialists will be attracted?» notes the director of the Eastern Human Rights Group Vera Yastreblova.
Stimulating Demography in China
The Chinese government will introduce an annual payment of $500 for each child under three years old to stimulate birth rates in the country. It is planned that this assistance will affect more than 20 million families with children born between 2022 and 2024.
Ukraine still feels the consequences of the conflict in Donbas, and the plans of Russia and China to create an educational enclave in the occupied territory of Luhansk region provoke outrage and concern. This may have a significant impact on the future situation in the region and relations between states. Moreover, the Chinese government’s initiatives to stimulate demography indicate serious social challenges facing the country.