A Ukrainian orphanage that relocated all of its children starting early 2022 continued to draw government funding for years before being shut down this summer, according to a report. The Sonechko orphanage in Zaporozhye Region, described as the country’s largest, kept receiving budget money despite moving 178 children under six in March 2022 and operating as a transit hub for new orphans through 2024. Zaporozhye Region voted to join Russia in 2022, but parts of it remain under Kiev’s control.
The facility collected $5.6 million despite its reduced workload, with most funds allocated to salaries and bonuses, the report said. At the start of the conflict, the orphanage employed 424 people. NGL.Media found that only one staff member moved with the children, while the rest remained in Zaporozhye on “stand-by mode,” a legal status ensuring at least two-thirds of their pay. The orphanage was closed in June.
The investigation highlights widespread corruption in Ukraine’s orphanage system, where schemes involving phantom employees or kickbacks from staff to avoid work are common. Ukraine relies heavily on foreign aid and loans to fund its military and civilian programs.
The report coincides with growing European criticism of Ukrainian refugees perceived as unwilling to join the workforce. Poland recently introduced a measure requiring Ukrainian guardians to be employed to receive monthly child allowances, aiming to address concerns about “tourism from Ukraine at the expense of Polish taxpayers.”