The Silent Scars: Ukrainian Children Return from Deportation, Haunted by Trauma

The Silent Scars: Ukrainian Children Return from Deportation, Haunted by Trauma

PAHARI BARUAH

In the shadowed aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a humanitarian crisis unfolds not on the battlefield, but in the quiet corners of reunified families.

Thousands of Ukrainian children, forcibly deported to Russia or occupied territories, are trickling back home – but many arrive broken, their voices silenced by unimaginable trauma. “When Ukrainian children come back from Russia, unable to speak… some for months, some only whispering – it is a silence that cries out louder than words,” says Mariam Lambert, CEO of the Emile Foundation, a Dutch-based nonprofit dedicated to reuniting these young victims with their loved ones.

Lambert’s poignant words, drawn from her organization’s frontline work, underscore a war crime that the United Nations has condemned as a violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention, aimed at erasing Ukrainian identity one child at a time.

Since February 2022, Ukrainian authorities have documented 19,546 cases of child deportation, though estimates from Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab suggest the figure could exceed 200,000, with Russian officials claiming they have “saved” up to 744,000.

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Only a fraction – fewer than 400 – have been repatriated, often through painstaking diplomatic, legal, and humanitarian channels. The Emile Foundation, formerly known as the Orphans Feeding Foundation, has played a pivotal role in this effort. Founded in 2011 by Lambert and her husband Samuel to aid vulnerable children globally, the organization shifted focus to Ukraine in May 2023 under a memorandum with the Presidential Office, supporting the “Bring Kids Back UA” initiative.

To date, it has facilitated the return of 48 children and is working on dozens more, providing not just logistics but comprehensive post-return care.

The journey back is fraught with peril. Children are often located in remote Russian regions, from Siberian camps to foster homes in occupied Crimea, where they endure forced Russification: name changes, mandatory Russian-language education, and indoctrination through groups like Yunarmia, a militaristic youth organization that prepares teens for combat.

“In Ukraine, children are targeted by Russia to wipe out their identity. The whole goal is to create a new generation in Russia. And that’s a crime according to the Geneva Convention,” Lambert told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in a recent interview.

The International Criminal Court agrees, issuing arrest warrants in March 2023 for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova for their roles in these abductions.

Upon return, the psychological toll becomes starkly evident. Many children exhibit selective mutism, a trauma-induced inability to speak, lasting months or manifesting as mere whispers – symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exacerbated by prolonged isolation, abuse, and propaganda.

UNICEF reports that half of Ukrainian children aged 13-15 suffer sleep disturbances, while one in five experiences flashbacks, with three-quarters of youth aged 14-34 needing emotional support.

In frontline areas like Kharkiv, children have spent over 200 days in basements or bunkers, their socialization stunted by constant shelling and displacement.

Lambert, who has testified at international forums including the Council of Europe and GLOBSEC conferences, describes this as a “calculated war crime,” where children are weaponized to demoralize Ukraine.

The Emile Foundation’s response is multifaceted. Beyond tracing and repatriation – involving legal advocacy, third-party negotiations, and physical escorts across borders – the group provides holistic rehabilitation. This includes psychological counseling, educational catch-up programs, and medical aid for conditions like neurological disorders worsened by trauma.

One success story is 16-year-old Artem from Oleshky, who, after five months in deportation, was evacuated with his family and placed in a specialized facility for his developmental challenges.

Another is Sasha, a teen from Luhansk who lost his mother and brother during occupation; reunited with his aunt in December 2023, he now receives therapy and vocational training at a car repair shop, rebuilding his sense of purpose.

To address the reintegration crisis, the foundation is constructing “Little Heroes Village” in Ukraine’s Volyn region – a safe haven offering trauma-informed care, family support, and education for returned children and those with disabilities.

Lambert emphasizes prevention too: The group evacuates families from frontline villages, reducing abduction risks, and has delivered over 150 tons of aid since 2022.

Partnerships with entities like the Center for Civil Liberties – led by Nobel laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk, a goodwill ambassador for Emile – amplify global advocacy.

Yet challenges persist. Russia’s recent territorial gains, including incursions into Kursk and Belgorod, have hardened Moscow’s stance, delaying releases and complicating logistics.

Families face “parental trauma,” a “silent drama” Lambert highlights, with no systemic mental health support for caregivers.

Over 50,000 children sought psychological help in Ukraine in the first nine months of 2024 alone – triple the previous year – amid disrupted schooling and chronic exhaustion.

International bodies must act decisively, Lambert urges. “Every day that passes, more children are being abducted,” she warned at a Helsinki conference in May.

As Ukraine’s war enters its fourth year, the silence of these children demands not just awareness, but accountability. The Emile Foundation’s work offers a glimmer of hope, but without sustained global pressure – from the UN to the ICC – Russia’s assault on Ukraine’s future will continue unchecked. For these young survivors, reclaiming their voices is the first step toward justice.

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