Hundreds of Ukrainian children were evacuated to Italy. Kyiv is now battling to get them back

Hundreds of Ukrainian Children Evacuated to Italy Face Uncertain Return

Hundreds of Ukrainian children were evacuated – In the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a children’s home director named Liubov Rudyka transported a group of minors to Naples, believing they would find safety in the Italian city. At the time, she envisioned the move as a temporary solution, akin to a summer camp, where the children would stay briefly before returning home. Four years later, however, that promise of a return has turned into a legal standoff, with Kyiv fighting to reclaim dozens of Ukrainian children now residing in Italy. The situation has drawn international attention, highlighting the complexities of cross-border adoptions during wartime.

Italy’s Legal Stance and the Adoption Dispute

The conflict escalated in April 2026 after the Ukrainian government revealed that one of the evacuated children—a 15-year-old boy named Sasha—had been formally adopted by an Italian family, despite his mother’s desire to have him back in Ukraine. This case became a symbol of a broader issue: the Italian judiciary’s resistance to allowing the return of children who had been temporarily relocated during the war. Ukrainian officials argue that the evacuations were intended to be short-term, with the goal of protecting children from the dangers of Russian occupation in regions like Sumy, a northern city that was heavily besieged at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.

“We continue to send official requests, and the Italian representatives are telling us that the judiciary is completely independent and that they cannot influence this decision. But I demand that they intervene,” said Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, in an interview with CNN.

According to Kyiv, the children’s initial evacuation was a necessary measure to shield them from the violence and instability in Ukraine. However, the Italian authorities have treated the minors as unaccompanied refugees, granting them status under a legal framework that prioritizes their well-being abroad. This approach, rooted in Italy’s strengthened child protection laws from a decade prior, has created a barrier for Ukraine to reclaim custody. The laws were introduced to address the European migrant crisis, ensuring that children in vulnerable situations would not be hastily returned without judicial review.

Rosa Emanuela Lo Faro, an Italian lawyer representing some of the minors, explained that the Italian system has effectively isolated the children from their Ukrainian families. “There was a ban on communicating with (their) guardians in Ukraine, Ukrainian friends, all Ukrainian people. The child could only communicate with their Italian guardians and that’s it,” she told CNN. While Lo Faro has managed to overturn some adoption decisions through the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation, the process remains arduous. She noted that foster families often exert pressure on authorities, arguing that the children are thriving in Italy and should not be forced to return.

The Underground Railroad and Ukraine’s Efforts

Ukraine has launched an initiative it calls the “underground railroad” to repatriate children from Italy and other countries. This network of volunteers, legal experts, and officials aims to bypass bureaucratic hurdles and secure the children’s return. However, the Italian government has been reluctant to facilitate the process, citing privacy laws that protect the rights of minors. CNN has reached out to multiple entities, including the Italian government, the Ombudsman for Children and Adolescents, and the Commission for International Adoption, but all have declined to comment, emphasizing the need for confidentiality.

The children’s home Rudyka oversaw in Sumy, a city that faced severe occupation early in the war, became the starting point for this displacement. A charity had previously organized holiday trips for the children, but in the summer of 2022, it offered a more permanent solution: evacuation to Italy. Rudyka accepted the proposal, taking 25 children with her to Naples. “I thought it would be like a summer camp: the children would spend some time in Italy and then return,” she recalled. However, after about three weeks, the Italian authorities began assigning legal guardianship to the minors, effectively severing their ties to Ukraine.

Under Ukrainian law, Rudyka was the designated guardian, but the Italian system did not recognize her authority. Instead, the children were classified as unaccompanied minors, a designation that grants them refugee status and legal autonomy. This classification has allowed Italian families to adopt the children without requiring immediate approval from Ukraine. The Ukrainian government now contends that this legal framework is being used to prolong the children’s stay abroad, compounding the nation’s demographic challenges. With a significant portion of its population displaced and birth rates declining, Ukraine fears that prolonged separation from their families could lead to long-term consequences for the younger generation.

Italy’s position has drawn criticism from Kyiv, which accuses the country of denying access to the children and their families. Lubinets compared the situation to the deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia, where similar disputes have arisen over custody. “(Italy’s) attitude is, in fact, no different from the Russian side’s position… they have taken our children away and are denying us access to them,” he said. The Italian government, however, maintains that the evacuations were justified as a protective measure, with the Italian media highlighting the care and stability the children have found abroad.

Despite the legal barriers, Ukraine remains determined to bring the children home. The ombudsman’s office has been working tirelessly to navigate the Italian legal system, seeking solutions that balance the children’s rights with their families’ claims. Meanwhile, the children’s families in Ukraine have been left in limbo, unable to fully reunite with their loved ones. For many, the emotional toll of this separation has been immense, especially as the war continues to shape the country’s future.

As the debate over the children’s fate intensifies, the case serves as a microcosm of the broader geopolitical tensions between Ukraine and Italy. It underscores the challenges of international adoption during crises and the importance of legal cooperation in ensuring the best interests of children. With the war still ongoing and the Ukrainian population facing a demographic crisis, the outcome of this dispute could have lasting implications for the nation’s children and its ability to safeguard their future.