Report reveals abuse of Ukrainian orphans in Antalya

WISE NEWS PRESS / ANTALYA, Türkiye — Dec. 1, 2025

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has released a report documenting that Ukrainian orphans housed in a Turkish hotel faced sexual abuse and two girls were impregnated by staff.

Concerns regarding the safety of 510 children brought to Turkey under the "Childhood Without War Project," run by the Ruslan Shostak Foundation, have escalated following allegations of a cover-up. The project, intended to shelter war victims, is now at the center of a scandal involving negligence and sexual exploitation.

Findings of the OCCRP report

In March 2024, a delegation including the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights and UNICEF Turkey representatives inspected the hotel in Antalya where the children were staying. The subsequent report, signed by 11 Ukrainian officials, documented that the orphans were neglected and subjected to psychological and sexual abuse.

The report identified that two hotel cooks, aged 23 and 21, had established relationships with two girls aged 15 and 16, respectively. Both girls reportedly became pregnant, and were sent back to Ukraine in an attempt to cover up the scandal. According to testimonies, Ukrainian instructors forced the children to sign documents stating that their relationships with Turkish men were consensual.

Legal proceedings and closure

The Antalya Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services filed a criminal complaint regarding the pregnancies. However, the Turkish prosecutor's office issued a decision of non-prosecution. An appeal by the institution's lawyers against this decision was rejected.

An investigation launched by Ukrainian authorities in May 2024 was also closed in June 2025 due to a "lack of evidence." No individuals have been punished in connection with the allegations. The report further noted a lack of emergency medical care at the hotel and an incident where a missing child was found on the beach only after a helicopter search.

Termination of the project

Following the inspection, the "Childhood Without War Project" was terminated in December 2024, and the children were returned to Ukraine. Foundation founder Ruslan Shostak maintained that the closure was unrelated to the violations and later received a high state award. Requests for comments sent to Turkey's Embassy in Ukraine and the Ministry of Family remained unanswered.

www.wisenewspress.com