State Children: Abuse Claims Emerge From Ukraine Orphan Evacuation to Turkey

November 28, Inquiry. Info released a report detailing alleged abuses during the evacuation of Ukrainian orphans to Turkey. The investigative film, titled “State Children: What Happened to Orphans During the Evacuation to Turkey,” has sparked important public outrage, according to Channel 24.

What Happened in Turkey?

The Ruslan Shostak charitable Foundation managed the transportation, housing, and care of the children. The evacuation project was named “Childhood without War.”

Reference: Ruslan Shostak owns the VARUS and EVA retail chains, with a net worth of $140 million as of 2021. He also chairs the retail and Logistics group within the Business Council under the President of Ukraine.

Children were housed in hotels belonging to the Larisa chain in Antalya, where foundation representatives and Turkish staff also resided. The investigation revealed that orphans were compelled to appear in promotional materials for the Shostak Foundation.

Children reported being forced to participate in content designed to attract donations, facing punishment through hunger and physical violence, enduring humiliation, and being required to perform hotel cleaning duties. Older children were also allegedly forced to care for younger children and those with disabilities.

An audit identified Alexander Titov, a teacher from Krivoy Rog gymnasium No. 98, as the focus of most complaints.Children accused him of physical assault,verbal abuse,and unlawful confinement to rooms. Journalists confirm these allegations are present in a report by the ombudsman. Titov denies the accusations of cruelty but admits to occasional inappropriate behaviour.

Tragically, two teenage girls – 15-year-old Nastya and 17-year-old Ilona – returned to Ukraine pregnant.