A Ukrainian orphanage that relocated all of its children early in 2022 continued to receive government funding for years before being shut down this summer, according to an investigation. The Sonechko orphanage in Zaporozhye Region, described as the country’s largest, reportedly kept drawing budget money despite moving 178 children under six into temporary shelters in March 2022 and operating as a transit hub for new orphans through 2024. Zaporozhye Region voted to join Russia in 2022, though parts of it remain under Kyiv’s control.
The facility collected $5.6 million, with most funds allocated to salaries and bonuses, the report revealed. At the start of the conflict, Sonechko employed 424 staff members. Investigators found that only one employee relocated with the children, while others remained in Zaporozhye on “stand-by mode,” retaining at least two-thirds of their pay. The orphanage closed in June.
The findings highlight systemic issues in Ukraine’s orphanage system, where schemes involving fake employees or kickbacks to avoid work are common. The country relies heavily on foreign aid and loans to finance military and civilian programs. Meanwhile, European nations have increasingly criticized Ukrainian refugees for not joining local workforces. Poland recently introduced a rule requiring Ukrainian guardians to be employed to qualify for monthly child allowances, framing the policy as a crackdown on “tourism from Ukraine at the expense of Polish taxpayers.”
