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 decision to flee was a risky one. At 16, he had been sent to a Russian naval academy in Crimea, a territory seized by Moscow during the war in Ukraine’s Kherson region. The academy attempted to issue him a Russian birth certificate, symbolizing his assimilation into the regime. Yet Lavrov refused to let that occur. In October 2023, he executed a covert escape, leaving the dormitory and embarking on a hidden path back to Ukraine. Now 19 and living in Kyiv, he is among approximately 2,000 Ukrainian minors who have returned to their homeland after being forcibly deported, illegally relocated, or stranded in Russia, Belarus, or occupied areas.

Ukraine has mobilized global support to address this crisis, forming alliances to pressure Russia into cooperation. However, results have been modest. Only a fraction of the 2,000 children who have come back did so through formal means: 83 aided by Qatar and 19 rescued via a program led by US First Lady Melania Trump. Most, like Lavrov, had to exit Russia secretly due to the difficulty of obtaining official permission. His escape took months of preparation, culminating in a calculated move. On the day he left, he wore his uniform, acted as usual, and pretended to attend classes elsewhere. Volunteers from Save Ukraine, a group dedicated to rescuing children in Russian-held areas, were waiting to retrieve him at a nearby spot.

Lavrov avoided carrying any belongings to stay inconspicuous. He remained calm at checkpoints, though nerves were high. The journey to Ukrainian-controlled territory, he estimates, took about two days. Later, he learned the Russian authorities had labeled him as “missing and wanted.” Mykola Kuleba, founder of Save Ukraine and former children’s ombudsman, described Lavrov’s case as typical. “Each child’s escape feels like a special operation,” Kuleba said, urging CNN to keep details confidential to protect volunteers. He explained that the group operates independently, avoiding contact with Russian officials or those in occupied zones to minimize risks. “Once Moscow identifies a child as a target, they’ll stop at nothing to keep them from returning,” he warned.

Demographic Crisis and Russian Obstruction

Yulia Dvornychenko’s ordeal highlights the challenges faced by families. In 2021, she was arrested in Torez, a town in eastern Ukraine occupied by pro-Russian separatists since 2014. Accused of being a spy, she was separated from her sons, Danylo (17) and Mark (9). As a widow, her partner was also detained, leading to a demand for false confessions. She agreed, fearing her children would be sent to a Russian orphanage. After 18 months, she was released in a POW exchange, but her sons remained in Russia.

Danylo had fled to Moscow, where he avoided conscription. Mark stayed with a family friend in Torez. When Dvornychenko reached a government-controlled area, she began coordinating their return. Russian officials initially promised Mark would be repatriated in the same exchange. She reassured him, explaining that being blindfolded and tied up meant he was heading home. However, the exchange in Zaporizhzhia’s southern region lasted a week without results. The Russian Commissioner for Human Rights then imposed new conditions, requiring her to personally collect Mark—an arrangement Ukraine resisted, fearing her arrest again.

“I knew what happened during those exchanges,” Dvornychenko said, reflecting on her sons’ uncertain fate. “But I had no choice.”

The stories of Lavrov and Dvornychenko reveal Ukraine’s struggle to reclaim its children. As the conflict escalates, the nation faces a demographic catastrophe, with many families torn apart. The “underground railroad” remains a vital, if fragile, lifeline for those seeking to reunite with their loved ones in the face of Russian tactics.