Two Ukrainian orphan girls returned from Turkey pregnant: investigation.

According to ТСН: After the evacuation of Ukrainian orphan children to Turkey at the beginning of the war with Russia, two teenagers returned home pregnant. This became known from hotel workers where these children stayed.

The news was published by journalists from the investigative program 'Sledstvo.Info', who studied the fate of the children during their evacuation.

At the beginning of the war, about 3500 orphan children from the Dnipropetrovsk region were evacuated to Turkey. The transportation, accommodation, and accompaniment of the children were organized by the charity fund of Ruslan Shostak, a well-known businessman. The project was named 'Childhood Without War'.

Sexual violence and pressure

Journalists received a report from the Ukrainian ombudsman confirming that the children were forced to participate in commercials, and in some cases, violence was applied. Two girls, 15-year-old Nastya and 17-year-old Ilona, returned home pregnant by hotel staff.

'The fund's staff contacts the children daily and has round-the-clock unhindered access to their places of study and residence, which enables potential sexual crimes against children and the application of violence towards them,' the report states.

Cases of pregnancy among children

Seven children who were in Turkey confirmed the facts from the ombudsman's report. Nastya and Ilona, who returned from Turkey, have already become mothers in Ukraine. Nastya was pregnant at the time of return but did not receive medical assistance in Turkey, seeking a doctor only in Ukraine.

The caregivers were aware of the girls' relationships with hotel staff but did not react. The girls met with older men from the staff. Nastya began a relationship with a 23-year-old man named Mami, while Ilona was with a 21-year-old Salih.

Investigation and accountability

After the cases of violence were discovered, the Ukrainian police launched an investigation, but a year later, the case was closed, and no one was punished. The only measure taken was to demote the senior caregiver to a physical education teacher.

'Responsibility for this story lies not with the fund, but with the people who were responsible for the children,' asserts Ruslan Shostak.

It was also reported about a case when a 15-year-old girl gave birth in Ukraine and threw the child in a trash can. This situation was also preceded by events related to rape.

The law enforcement agencies continue the investigation to find those guilty of violations of children's rights.

This horrific situation once again underscores the importance of protecting children's rights, especially in conditions of war when they become particularly vulnerable. The response of society and the relevant authorities to the identified violations must be adequate to prevent the recurrence of such tragic cases in the future.