Italy's Adoption of Ukrainian Refugee Boy Sparks International Custody Battle

Ukrainian Refugee Child at Centre of Italy-Kyiv Adoption Dispute; 82 Other Cases Under Review An Italian court has approved the adoption of a Ukrainian teenager who was evacuated to the country in 2022, sparking an international dispute with Kyiv over whether the child should remain in Italy or be returned to his living mother in Ukraine. The case has raised questions about how host countries are handling wartime child evacuations and whether some placements have crossed the line from temporary refuge into permanent adoption against the wishes of surviving parents. The Case of Sasha The boy, identified as Sasha and now 15 years old, was evacuated to Lecce in southern Italy in 2022 as part of a larger group of Ukrainian children seeking temporary safety during Russia's invasion. According to CNN reporting, the juvenile court in Lecce approved his adoption by the Italian family that had been fostering him since his arrival, making him a permanent resident of Italy rather than a refugee able to return home. The decision carries particular weight because of Sasha's family circumstances. His father went missing while fighting against Russian forces, and his mother remains alive in Ukraine, never having lost her parental rights. According to available sources, his two sisters have been permitted to return to Ukraine, leaving Sasha isolated from his remaining family. Ukraine's Moratorium and International Standards Ukraine maintains an official moratorium on international adoptions of its children, according to Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets. The moratorium was established specifically to protect evacuated children, displaced minors whose parents are serving in the military or are missing in action, and children separated by war circumstances. According to Lubinets, the Italian court decision grossly violates international standards for the protection of children's rights. International law prioritizes keeping children with their families and in their countries of origin, particularly during wartime when evacuation is understood to be temporary protection rather than permanent relocation. Procedural Violations According to reports from Ukrainian authorities cited by CNN and other outlets, the adoption process involved systematic violations of Ukrainian legal protections. Sasha's Ukrainian legal representatives were removed from their guardianship role. Foreign guardians were appointed in their place. Restrictions were placed on Ukrainian diplomats' access to the child. The sequence of events, according to Lubinets, suggests that the adoption was facilitated through a deliberate dismantling of the child's connections to Ukraine and his existing legal protections rather than through neutral guardianship review. The Broader Pattern The Sasha case is not isolated. According to Lubinets, similar risks of permanent adoption have been identified for at least 82 other Ukrainian children currently located in various care facilities across Italy. He cited children from the Chynadiyevo preschool boarding institution, the Smaragdove Misto sanatorium and rehabilitation centre, and the S.P. Suprun children's home in Sumy as examples of facilities where multiple children face similar circumstances. According to CNN reporting, Ukrainian authorities believe that more than 300 children are being prevented from returning to Ukraine, mostly through judicial decisions that treat temporary evacuation as grounds for permanent placement abroad. Foster Family Pressure One factor complicating the situation involves pressure from foster families. According to Oles Lo Faro, an attorney working on these cases and cited by CNN, families fostering Ukrainian children have argued that the children are better off remaining in Italy than returning to a country at war. While understandable from their perspective, such arguments conflict with Ukraine's legal position that all evacuations were temporary wartime measures and that children should return when conditions permit. International Pushback According to Lubinets, he has escalated the matter to multiple international bodies. He has contacted Pina Picerno, Vice President of the European Parliament, to bring the issue before that chamber. He has reached out to Tordis Kolbrun Reikfjord Hilfadottir, Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on the situation of children in Ukraine. He has engaged with the European Network of Ombudsmen for Children and the Italian Directorate for Children and Adolescents. The UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, has indicated to CNN that its official position is that returns to Ukraine should only happen voluntarily and only if determined to be in the best interests of the child by the host country. The Demographic Dimension For Ukraine, the issue carries significance beyond individual cases. The country faces a major demographic crisis following Russian invasion and population displacement. Ukrainian officials have expressed concern that the longer children remain abroad, the less likely they will return, compounding Ukraine's long-term population challenges. The Unresolved Question Sasha's case remains unresolved. According to available reporting, he cannot communicate with his mother or sisters. His mother told CNN she has sent birthday wishes but they are not being delivered. The boy remains legally adopted by his Italian foster family, his Ukrainian guardianship severed, his return to Ukraine blocked by Italian courts. Ukraine's position is unambiguous: the Italian court decision must be appealed immediately, the adoption reversed, and the child returned to his mother. Italy's position remains focused on what officials believe is the child's best interest remaining in the stable environment where he has lived for four years. The resolution of this case will likely set a precedent for how other wartime child evacuations are handled internationally, and whether evacuation for temporary protection can legally transform into permanent adoption over a country's objections. Ph: hurricanehank / Shutterstock.com