Ukraine War: People made a 'master plan' to save Ukrainian children from the Russians

Hours after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, health workers at a children's hospital in Kherson began secretly planning how to save newborns. These employees suspected the Russians of confiscating orphans and shipping them to Russia, so staff at the children's regional hospital in the city of Kherson began falsifying the orphans' medical records to make it appear as if they were moving. Too sick to move. 

'We will save the children at any cost'

Dr Olga Pilarska, head of intensive care, said: 'We deliberately wrote false information that the children were sick and could not be moved. We were scared that they (Russians) would find out... (but) we decided that we will save the children at any cost.'

Serious allegations against the Russians

Throughout the war the Russians have been accused of deporting Ukrainian children to Russia or Russian-occupied territories to raise them as their own. 

'We will save the children at any cost'

Dr Olga Pilarska, head of intensive care, said: 'We deliberately wrote false information that the children were sick and could not be moved. We were scared that they (Russians) would find out... (but) we decided that we will save the children at any cost.'

Serious allegations against the Russians

Throughout the war the Russians have been accused of deporting Ukrainian children to Russia or Russian-occupied territories to raise them as their own Local officials say at least 1,000 children were confiscated from schools and orphanages during Russia's eight-month occupation of the Kherson region. His whereabouts are still unknown. At the same time, the local people say that many more children would have gone missing, if some people of the community had not tried to hide as many children as possible, risking their lives. 

Russian officials lied to Ukrainian children

Earlier this year the Associated Press (AP) reported that Russia is trying to give thousands of Ukrainian children to Russian families for foster care or adoption. The AP found that authorities deported Ukrainian children to Russia or Russian-occupied territories without consent and lied to them that they were not wanted by their parents. 

Russian officials deporting children

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, says Russian officials are conducting a deliberate disinformation campaign in occupied parts of Ukraine and deporting children under the guise of medical rehabilitation schemes and adoption programs. 

Russian officials clarified

It has been clarified by the Russian officials that the reason behind taking children to Russia is to protect them from hostilities the claims of confiscating and deporting children has also been rejected by the Foreign Ministry, authorities are looking forward for relatives of orphans abandoned in Ukraine to provide opportunities to send them back to their homes.