russians run ‘marketplace’ for abducted Ukrainian children in occupied Luhansk, rights experts warn

Returning Ukrainian children abducted by russia, and subsequently adopted, has become increasingly difficult, according to human rights experts.

Speaking at the Media Center Ukraine, Kateryna Rashevska, PhD in International Law, an expert at the Regional Center for Human Rights, described the situation as a disturbing trend.

“In 2025, we documented cases in the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic where russians arrived, selected a child, claimed guardianship, and took them to russia. Once the adoption process is finalized, it becomes extremely difficult to return the child. The russian Federation responds to our inquiries by framing it as ‘family reunification,’ while omitting the fact that these transfers to russian households are forced,” Rashevska said.

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