Four families, four stories of separation. The authors of ‘Stolen Youth,’ a new book from Meduza about how Russia abducted thousands of Ukrainian children, explain why they wrote it.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, thousands of Ukrainian children have ended up in Russia. The scenarios varied: some fled the combat zone, and the only way out led through the Russian border; others were taken from occupied territories deeper into the occupying country, often under false pretenses, such as a school trip; still others were sent by their own parents to Russian…
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, thousands of Ukrainian children have been taken into Russia. These children ended up there through various means: fleeing combat zones, being taken from occupied territories under false pretenses, or being sent by their own parents to Russian camps. The Russian state actively facilitated this by placing children with new families and issuing them new passports.
In 2023, the International Criminal Court declared the removal of children from Ukraine a war crime. Journalists Nina Nazarova and Sviatoslav Khomenko have compiled four distinct stories in their book "Stolen Youth: How Russia Kidnaps Ukrainian Children — And How Ukrainians Get Them Back." This book details the experiences of four families who suffered this crime and those who helped rescue the children.
The stories showcase the resilience of both children and their families, highlighting the lasting impact these events will have.
Written by urgent.news from Meduza (English)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
