Ukrainian Orphan Denys Kostev Escaped Russian Occupation After Forced Pro-Kremlin Videos
Key Points
- Denys Kostev, 18 when Russia invaded in 2022, was forcibly transferred from his Kherson orphanage to a summer camp in Crimea.
- Ukrainian rights groups report approximately 4,000 children were forcibly taken from orphanages in Russian-occupied regions; more than 2,600 have returned.
- Kostev said he was coerced into appearing in pro-Russian television videos to avoid physical assault or jail, and is now preparing to fight for Ukraine.
Ukrainian rights groups document that almost 4,000 children were forcibly taken from orphanages in Russia-occupied Ukrainian regions. According to Kyiv, 84 Ukrainian orphans were held at the Luchisty camp alone in 2023. More than 2,600 children have returned to Ukraine so far, as Kyiv works to collect evidence against individuals suspected of involvement in the children's capture.
Kostev described the conditions at the camp as saturated with Russian nationalist indoctrination. "Every morning, you wake up to the Russian anthem, and every Monday, there's a celebratory hoisting of the Russian flag," he said. "They're without parents, no one to explain what's right and wrong. At a certain point, you begin to repeat pro-Russian narratives." At least one teenager he met at the camp enlisted to fight against Kyiv.
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Kyiv claims that Moscow has herded almost 20,000 Ukrainian minors to Russia to "brainwash" them during the war. The Kremlin acknowledges that children are being "re-educated" but rejects Ukraine's claims, stating that any children moved were rescued from war zones. Ukrainian rights groups have accused Russian forces and their collaborators of interrogating and abusing parents, including checking their bodies for pro-Kyiv tattoos or marks from firearms recoil.
After ultimately escaping Russia, Kostev has returned to Kyiv and is now preparing to fight for Ukraine. His account underscores the vulnerability of orphaned children in conflict zones and the documented pattern of forcible relocation across borders during occupation.
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What Happens Next
Ukraine will likely continue repatriating remaining children from Russian-held camps while building cases against suspected perpetrators. Moscow may resist further investigations, citing security concerns. The International Criminal Court could examine allegations of unlawful transfer of minors as potential war crimes, though enforcement remains uncertain given geopolitical constraints.
Sources: Al Jazeera and other international news outlets.
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