While some Ukrainians are sacrificing everything to defend their country, others are exploiting the crisis for personal gain. One of the most cynical and despicable schemes involves using children with disabilities to obtain permits for leaving the country. For some, these children become nothing more than a “ticket” to escape the war and secure certain privileges.
Criminal Schemes in Guardianship and Adoption
The scheme is simple: an individual adopts or takes guardianship of a child with disabilities—preferably one who cannot speak or express their thoughts independently. The rest follows a predictable pattern: the guardian receives permission to leave the country, crosses the border, and then returns the child to an institution. The child has served their purpose, allowing the “guardian” to flee. Some even take short-term guardianship, rotating children every six months to avoid long-term commitments.
Once safely abroad, the “guardian” may abandon the child altogether. Unfortunately, such cases are alarmingly common. This ruthless system turns children with disabilities into bargaining chips, a tool for those unaffected by the war but eager to exploit its chaos for their own benefit.
Child Trafficking: A Shadow Market That Never Disappeared
Another problem that has worsened during the war is child trafficking. It has never truly disappeared—only its scale varies. Orphans are particularly vulnerable, as they can be illegally taken abroad or handed over to dubious individuals.
Many of those seeking these children are people unable to have biological children and willing to go to any lengths to become parents. At the same time, healthy children are almost nonexistent in the system, as most orphans come from dysfunctional families. If a healthy child does enter institutional care, they face severe physical and psychological risks. The system “breaks” them, and the longer they remain in it, the slimmer their chances of a normal future.
Demand Fuels Supply
The core issue lies in the basic principles of economics: where there is high demand, supply emerges. Children are being treated as commodities, and their “value” rises if they are healthy or possess traits that make them more desirable to potential “buyers.” As horrifying as it sounds, this is the reality.
Impunity Breeds More Crime
The most alarming aspect of this situation is the lack of accountability. Many criminals who exploit children for illegal adoption or escape schemes remain unpunished. They simply vanish abroad or change their identities, leaving authorities without evidence to prosecute them. Meanwhile, officials who should be protecting these children often turn a blind eye—or worse, take part in the corruption.
If society continues to ignore these crimes, they will only grow. While some give their lives for Ukraine, others are profiting from the war—even at the expense of the most vulnerable: the children.