"I got to the outskirts of town, it's slushy and the dogs are mean" - hundreds of children abducted from Ukraine are kept in regional orphanages by the rf

The occupiers have taken hundreds of children out of Ukrainian territories, placing them in institutions in 15 regions of russia. According to the investigation of "Important Stories" and "Verstka", the questionnaires of at least 285 children from Donetsk region of Ukraine ended up in the all-Russian data bank of orphans, reports UNN.

Details

At least 285 children taken from Donbass ended up in the federal orphan database of the rf, - most of the questionnaires ended up in the bank during the fall of 2022, and more than a dozen were added in 2023. According to journalists, children taken from Ukraine were placed in institutions in at least 15 regions of the occupying country.

The identity of each child was confirmed to "Wurstka" and "Important Stories" - journalists talked to the children abducted from Ukraine.

We were told to get dressed and get our things. So we left - it was unclear how long it was for

In occupied Donetsk, she lived in her own family with her sister under the care of her father, who worked in the city as a construction worker.

On one day he suddenly became ill, it turned out that there was fluid in his lungs and he died. The daughters were then sent to their mother, but she was not able to cope because of her drinking problems. The children were taken to a shelter together with a younger brother who had previously lived with their mother.

In February 2022, on the eve of a full-scale invasion of Ukrainian territory by Russian troops, Alyona and Nastya wrote to their aunt that they were near Taganrog, where there were about 400 other orphans from Donetsk institutions.

In the future, orphans who believed they were leaving for a few days also became refugees who, because of the rush, did not have time to pick up a change of underwear, clothes and documents. They were sent to orphanages, boarding schools and colleges in different parts of Russia.

In their piece, the publications' journalists cite the different impressions of the children interviewed, confirming the frustration of those who learned that the return home was postponed or canceled altogether. 

When we found out it was long term, we were very upset. We wanted to go back

Her fellow countrywoman, 17-year-old Marina reported that despite the help of volunteers, she was morally "unputdownable.

She explained that she was abruptly picked up and moved to another city.

I gave myself free will, ran almost to the outskirts of town, but it was slushy and the dogs were big and mean. I called the teacher and asked him to pick me up. I was led under the arms (...) brought to the boarding school, asked to pack my things. They said that I had a nervous disorder and took me to a psychiatric hospital

According to journalists, the questionnaires of 98 children had disappeared from the data bank by the time the investigation was released. By law, a child is removed from the databank only in cases of placement in foster care with a family, return to parents, majority or death.

Adoption or custody of stolen orphans was offered in 15 regions of Russia.

Probably 76 children of those who managed to get into the data bank of orphans later found themselves in Russian foster families. Four returned to relatives in the occupied territories

According to the investigation, at least 187 children remain in the orphan system in russia.

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