Fighting for Recovered Kids: Olha's Journey
Olha Lopatkina's voice falters whenever she talks about the time she was separated from her adopted children. Before the Russian invasion in February 2022, she sent her six young ones, ages 7 to 17, from Vuhledar in the Donetsk region to a Mariupol recreation camp. The war ensued, and her children found themselves in Russian-occupied territory. Olha didn't see them for almost five months.
Life in Donetsk's Clinic
According to Olha, after the Mariupol invasion, local Russian occupational officials, along with the army, took her children from the camp and put them in a clinic for tuberculosis patients. She describes the conditions being terrible, with children having to steal food at night to avoid starvation and miraculously escaping tuberculosis infection.
Persistent Negotiations
Negotiations with local Russian authorities to return her children to Olha, who had sought refuge in the EU, were long and protracted. The occupation's "children's representative" vehemently opposed the children's return. It wasn't until the official went on a short trip that other officials agreed to release the children.
Human Rights Concerns
Human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch, have raised concerns over the abduction of Ukrainian minors to territories under Russian control. Some children have been orphaned and taken to Russian-controlled territories, never to return.
Allegations of Genocide
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of committing genocide through "mass abduction" during the UN General Debate in New York. The International Criminal Court in The Hague issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and children's envoy Maria Lvova-Belova for alleged war crimes.
Denials from Russia
Russia denies the allegations, asserting that the children were only being protected from warzone violence. And that, whenever separation occurs, they are always reunited with their families.
Repatriation Efforts
Anastasija Chaliulowa helps families in this arduous and costly process of repatriating their children from Russian institutions. Parents spend around 500 euros to bring back their child, excluding travel and accommodation expenses. Negotiations with Russian authorities can be lengthy, depending on local authorities' favorability and preferences.
Key role of Donetsk
Investigative journalist Olesya Bida reports that nine hospitals in Donetsk and its vicinity have functioned as venues for housing Ukrainian children before their eventual relocation. Some children have been sent to orphanages and rehomed in Russia, while others remain in Russian-occupied territory.
The Plight of the Eastern Regions
Most abducted children have ties with the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, which Russia annexed in violation of international law. Kremlin-controlled fighters initiated the conflict in 2014, and instances of abductions occurred before the larger-scale 2022 aggression.
Russia's Obstruction
Russian authorities make it hard for parents to locate their children and hinder their repatriation. Immediately after being taken, the children's phones are confiscated, and their whereabouts are not disclosed. Moreover, any relocated child is quickly moved to another part of Russia to avoid detection.
Save Ukraine's Aid
Former Ukrainian children's ombudsman Mykola Kuleba founded "Save Ukraine," which has successfully helped over 100 children rejoin their families in Ukraine.
