Kidnapped and Taken Hostage to “New Families”: How Russia Gives Ukrainian Children up for Adoption

Russia not only destroys Ukrainian cities, but also kills and injures thousands of Ukrainians, occupies territory, and tortures anyone who refuses Ukraine's territory to become a part of Russia. Russia has been committing a crime against Ukraine's future generations since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, kidnapping children with the aim of further "re-education" and assimilation as Russians. It is difficult to estimate the total number of kidnapped children. The total number of confirmed children is 19 546. However, due to the complete Russian blockade and particularly scarce possibilities for obtaining information from occupied territories, this figure is believed to be much higher.

On May 30, 2022, Russia's President signed a decree simplifying the process of obtaining Russian citizenship for children from occupied Ukrainian territories, including Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson. The Russian media then reported on a statement made by Russia's Children's Ombudsman, Mariia Lvova-Belova, in which she stated that "there are a large number of requests from Russian families who want to adopt children from the Luhansk and Donetsk regions." Lvova-Belova herself "adopted" a child from Mariupol and thanked Vladimir Putin for "discovering how to be a mother for a child from Donbas." In doing so, Russia implements a systemic strategy of kidnapping children from the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia, "re-education" in a network of special propagandistic camps, and then giving them up to Russian families for adoption.

According to Humanitarian Research Lab research, Russia targets children with various profiles, including children with parents or familial guards, children deemed orphans, and children in the care of Ukrainian state institutions. A lawyer working for the NGO "Save Ukraine" confirms this pattern. The organisation works to reunite deported Ukrainian children with their families.

"In some cases, there are lies about sending children to summer camps for vacations. Their relatives are sometimes threatened by occupational authorities... There have been cases of children with disabilities and orphans being deported. There are also cases where children with parents are deported to Russia and then given to Russians for adoption," - Myroslava Kharchenko, the lawyer at the NGO “Save Ukraine” told us.

Initially, children are taken to camps under the guise of evacuation or with the consent of parents or guardians. According to Myroslava Kharchenko, the Russian military, representatives of self-proclaimed occupational authorities, and even officials of Russia's federal government are all involved in this procedure. The next phase is deportation to Russia or Crimea, where they will be placed with Russian families for adoption.

"Initially, children are kept in camps for a period of time before being transferred to Russia under false pretenses of "absence of parental care. Then they can be adopted by Russian families," - Kharchenko notes.

In fact, in 2023, Russian authorities began using statements about "temporary guardianship" to justify forced adoption to Russian families. As representatives of the non-governmental organisation "Save Ukraine" pointed out, this means that foster families have the same rights to children as parents or permanent guardians. These families also receive financial assistance from the state.

"Adoption procedures have been simplified. Despite the fact that these families are designated as "temporary guardians," they have the same rights as parents, including the ability to apply for a child's Russian passport, Russian citizenship, and make educational and healthcare decisions," - Kharchenko explains.

However, there are instances in which the truth comes to light. For example, there is a specific web page "The Bank of Orphans from Donbas: Looking for Parents for Adoption" on the website of the occupational administration of Enakievo in the Donetsk region. There is information on how to adopt children from the Donetsk region, as well as stories from "happy families." Similar Russian websites offer the opportunity to adopt children from the Kherson, Zaporizhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions.

It is worth noting that Russia not only abducts Ukrainian children, but also places significant effort on their "re-education." Russia's officials admit to this strategy, stating in an interview that Russia implements specific "informational and educational programmes to re-educate children from the influence of Ukrainian propaganda" and "introduces Russian culture and history to children in summer camps." As Myroslava Kharchenko points out, in practise, this approach entails forcing children to sing Russian patriotic songs, listen to Russia's hymn, controlling their external communications, and prohibiting them from speaking Ukrainian. Children are also told that their families and Ukraine have abandoned them, and that only Russia can provide them with a better future.

The situation is similar in foster families: children are constantly monitored and can be used as a labour force. In foster care or at school, they are also brainwashed with Russian propaganda.

"In Russian families, children were forced to do housework, farm, and care for younger children... We had girls who were sent to Russian school but were not educated. They were required to sit in a corner and rewrite paragraphs from Russian history and literature books into their notebooks," - Kharchenko remarks.

Though Ukrainian NGOs and authorities work hard to return all kidnapped children home, it is sometimes impossible, especially when the child was adopted. Furthermore, despite Russia's claims about its willingness to return children to their real families, representatives of the NGO "Save Ukraine" admit that it has become more difficult for relatives to return children. Russian officials, as well as occupational self-proclaimed authorities, frequently refuse to return children to their rightful families.

"It is extremely difficult, practically impossible, to return them home because "new families" may alter a child's personal information - birthdate, name, and surname," - Kharchenko explains.

Despite all threats, these Ukrainian organisations manage to make the impossible possible and return children to the rightful families in Ukraine.

"Despite all obstacles, children try to maintain contact and return home. However, they are monitored, their phones are checked, and their movement is restricted. We are often astounded by their bravery," - Kharchenko continues.

Russia's actions towards Ukrainian children is a violation of international law. Forced transfers of children from one group to another may be considered as genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The Convention on the Rights of the Child also protects a child's right to their true identity, including their name, nationality, and family relationships. Russia, on the other hand, does not relent in its efforts, carrying out serious war crimes against thousands of Ukrainian children.