Secret Network Rescues 1,100+ Ukrainian Children Deported to Russia

The effort, likened by organisers to an "underground railroad," involves a complex set of secret negotiations, logistics and covert travel routes that have helped dozens of young Ukrainians return to territory controlled by Kyiv. Those involved say the work is necessary because there is no formal legal mechanism between Ukraine and Russia to secure the return of children taken across borders during the conflict.

One returning youth, 19-year-old Rostyslav Lavrov, described planning and executing his escape after years in Russian-controlled territory and even attempts by Russian authorities to confer Russian documents on him. "I chose a day when I had classes in another building. I woke up early, put on my uniform, and did everything as usual, so they would think I was going to study," he said, explaining how he sought to avoid suspicion while slipping away.

Lavrov also said he carried nothing with him to avoid drawing attention at checkpoints. "I took nothing with me to avoid drawing attention. I was nervous at the checkpoints, but tried to stay calm and not show it," he added.

The operation is coordinated by Mykola Kuleba, founder of the Kyiv-based charity Save Ukraine and a longtime children's rights advocate, who acknowledges the controversy around such extralegal efforts. "We created an underground railroad to locate and rescue these children," he said, stressing that with no official process yet agreed with Moscow, volunteers are filling the vacuum to help evade what they describe as forced assimilation and deportation.

By the end of February, the volunteer network had facilitated the return of more than 1,100 Ukrainian children through these informal channels, with organisers and experts warning that challenges remain, including dealing with international standards and restrictions when working with official bodies.

Human rights groups and Ukraine's ombudsperson's office say that more than 1.6 million children still live in territories under Russian control, where they often face pressure to attend schools under the Russian curriculum or are targeted for passporting and other measures that activists say aim to undermine their Ukrainian identity.

The broader effort to bring abducted and deported children home also links with Bring Kids Back UA, a state-led action plan initiated by the Ukrainian government in 2023 that coordinates international and non-governmental efforts to reintegrate young Ukrainians and document abuses for possible legal action.

As the war enters its fifth year, volunteers and officials say continuing these rescue and reintegration operations is critical to reuniting families and protecting a generation of children caught in the ongoing conflict.

- ANI