Prosecutor General of Ukraine Ruslan Kravchenko, after visiting the largest charitable children's shelter in Ukraine, "Misto Dobra" (City of Goodness), and hearing a series of shocking stories from young Ukrainians, announced personnel decisions and a full inspection of all orphanages across the country. Kravchenko also emphasized that from today, Ukraine operates on a principle of zero tolerance for violence and negligence towards children, UNN reports.
Details
The Prosecutor General reported that he was on a business trip at the end of last week, the conclusion of which was significant for him: "on one hand, filled with light and goodness, on the other – with pain and horror. At the invitation of the incredible Marta Levchenko, I came to the largest charitable children's shelter in Ukraine, 'Misto Dobra'."
A place where from the first step you feel not an atmosphere, but love. We entered, and the children simply flocked to Marta. They hugged her, held her hands, reached out to her as if she were their peace, their support, their true safety. They called out "Marta!" sincerely, with a childlike trust that cannot be deceived. I stood and watched: this is what care looks like. This is what love looks like, which cannot be bought or faked. And this bright moment only intensified the blow that awaited next. A blow that doesn't just hurt, it leaves a mark. What I saw next... It's not just a tragedy. It's something difficult to utter aloud. I felt the same cold, the same pain I felt in Bucha when we were excavating mass graves. The same. When you realize: evil is not abstract. It is real. It is nearby. And it happened to those who were defenseless. Only this time, it wasn't adults. It was children. Our children. Those whom adults should have protected, but instead broke.
The Prosecutor General heard stories "after which you clearly understand - all the problems of adult life do not matter when there is such pain and such cynically broken destinies."
Children, 8-10 years old, tied to beds for children under 2 years old, in an orphanage in Mykolaiv region. Tied up. With broken and twisted limbs. "So they don't bother us." A child in Volyn, whom parents plied with alcohol, and social services reported for years: "Everything is fine." Four healthy children who were deliberately given severe psychiatric diagnoses to receive additional payments. 20 thousand UAH per month. This is the price for which adults went to break the destinies of four small people. Leaving them without the possibility of being adopted, practically without a future. I'm not even talking about the fact that children with non-existent diagnoses were given psychotropic drugs, preventing them from living normally, going to school, developing.
According to him, these are not stories, these are crimes.
This is rot that needs to be cut out to the root. These children are now safe, in "Misto Dobra". But how many children are silently suffering now? How many more are in the silence of a system that "doesn't see", "doesn't hear", and for which "everything is fine"? This business trip pulled me out of my routine. It confronted me with something impossible to forget. It showed that beyond politics, there is something truly important and at times very terrifying. And I have no right to remain silent. I promised Marta Levchenko to be the voice of "Misto Dobra", to be the voice of those who cannot protect themselves. And I keep my word.
Let's add
Kravchenko spoke about three important decisions he made after the business trip.
First: personnel decision - appointment of a new Deputy Prosecutor General.
My new deputy will be a person, a career prosecutor, who has one value and one criterion: children. He is a father of many children, a person who knows what love, responsibility, and pain are. His mandate will be one: all children of Ukraine. Every orphanage. Every case of violence. Every child's story. I will announce the person separately - Kravchenko noted.
Second: immediate establishment of order.
I appeal to the Ministers of Health and Social Policy, to social services, heads of children's institutions, heads of regional and district state administrations. There is no time for formal replies, for "commissions" that change nothing. An independent verification of the diagnoses of all children must be carried out. Check the conditions, medical conclusions, care. In case of violations and inaction, the prosecutor's office will act quickly and harshly - added the Prosecutor General.
Third: a full inspection of all orphanages across the country.
Regional prosecutors are taking personal control of issues concerning children, orphanages, hospitals, and other children's institutions. Law enforcement agencies must begin work immediately. No "don't touch." No "it's always been this way." No "everything is fine" - Kravchenko emphasized.
According to him, these stories are a turning point, and after it, there will be no more "compromises."
There will be no "traditions." There will be no cover-ups. From today, Ukraine operates on a principle of zero tolerance for violence and negligence towards children. And I appeal to all officials: the time of "everything is fine" is over, the time of mutual cover-up is over, the time of silence is also over. The life and health of children are not the price of a position. And we will ensure their protection at any cost. Any cost.