Inside the ‘underground railroad’ Ukraine is using to bring back children from Russia
Inside the ‘underground railroad’ Ukraine is using to bring back children from Russia
Rostyslav Lavrov’s escape from a Russian naval academy in Crimea was a calculated risk. At 16, he had been taken to the occupied region after Moscow’s forces seized his hometown in Ukraine’s Kherson area. The academy attempted to issue him a new Russian birth certificate to erase his Ukrainian identity, but Lavrov refused to let that occur. After three months of planning, he executed his escape in October 2023, walking out of the dormitory and embarking on a secret journey back to Ukraine. Now 19 and living in Kyiv, Lavrov is among approximately 2,000 Ukrainian children and teens who have returned to their homeland following forced deportations, illegal transfers, or being stranded in Russia, Belarus, or Russian-occupied territories.
Many of these children had to flee covertly, as securing official exit permits from Russia is nearly impossible. Ukraine has mobilized global support to pressure Moscow into cooperation, forming international alliances to address the issue. However, progress has been slow, with fewer than a quarter of the returned children exiting through formal channels. Of the 2,000, 83 were facilitated by Qatar, while 19 were rescued via a program led by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. Lavrov’s escape was orchestrated by volunteers from Save Ukraine, a group dedicated to rescuing children trapped in Russian-held areas.
A clandestine escape
Lavrov’s plan relied on deception. He chose a day when classes were held elsewhere, donning his uniform and acting normally to avoid suspicion. As he left the academy, volunteers from Save Ukraine awaited him at a nearby location. “I told them I was heading to study,” he explained to CNN. “I didn’t take anything with me to stay unnoticed. I was nervous at the checkpoints but tried to remain calm.” He estimated the journey to Ukrainian-controlled territory took two days, though the path was more perilous than he realized. Russian authorities later labeled him as “missing and wanted.”
“It’s like a special operation for every child,” said Mykola Kuleba, founder of Save Ukraine and former children’s ombudsman. “We don’t work with Russian officials or any authorities in occupied zones, because sharing information can lead to trouble.” Kuleba added that once Moscow learns of a child’s return, it will take every measure to stop it.
A mother’s struggle
Yulia Dvornychenko’s ordeal began in 2021 when she was arrested in Torez, an eastern Ukrainian town under pro-Russia separatist control since 2014. Accused of being a Ukrainian spy, she was separated from her sons, Danylo (17) and Mark (9), and told they would be sent to a Russian orphanage unless she signed a false confession. She agreed, and the children were taken. Dvornychenko was released in a prisoner of war exchange 18 months later, but her sons remained in Russia.
Danylo had fled to Moscow after sensing a high risk of being drafted into the Russian military, while Mark stayed with a family friend in Torez. Once back in Ukraine’s government-controlled zones, Dvornychenko worked with authorities to reclaim her children. Russian officials initially promised Mark’s return via a POW exchange, but she cautioned him, saying, “I told him it meant he was coming home. I knew what happened during those (exchanges).”
However, the process stalled when the Russian Commissioner for Human Rights added new conditions, demanding Dvornychenko personally retrieve Mark. Ukraine rejected the proposal, fearing her arrest again. Despite her efforts, the timeline for her sons’ return remains uncertain, highlighting the ongoing battle for families separated by the conflict.
