“State Children” And The Silence Of Olena Zelenska

The investigation “State Children” reveals abuse of Ukrainian orphans evacuated to Turkey, while officials remain silent and Olena Zelenska avoids addressing her role in protecting them.

It is deeply disappointing that not a single Ukrainian official has found the courage to respond to what happened to Ukrainian orphaned children in Turkey.

This was reported by Censor.net.

To simply come forward and tell these children, “This is not how it should be, the state has failed you.” To tell society that it is unacceptable to spend 15 billion a year on institutions whose staff beat children and call them hopeless because their parents once “traded them for a bottle.”

It is disappointing that for a week since our investigation “State Children” was published, Olena Zelenska has remained silent.

She was the one who negotiated the evacuation of Ukrainian children to Turkey with Turkey’s First Lady Emine Erdoğan.

Her name was regularly mentioned by the Shostak Foundation when speaking about the “Childhood Without War” project, during which the beatings and underage pregnancies occurred.

Her name was mentioned by officials who advised us “not to get involved in this topic.”

Now we are being told through various intermediaries that Olena Zelenska was NOT responsible for these particular children in Turkey — only for those who are doing fine. We are advised “not to drag” the First Lady into this story.

We sent inquiries to Mrs. Zelenska both before the film’s release and after. What exactly is her role in protecting the children who suffered such disgraceful treatment? All our inquiries remain unanswered.

But is it really necessary to wait for formal inquiries when you learn about abuse of orphaned children?

If you present yourself as the main person responsible in the country for vulnerable Ukrainian children, you should be the first to speak out in their defense. The first to say that this must not happen, that those responsible will be punished.

But unfortunately, it seems the First Lady is more concerned with her reputation than with the fate of children from institutions. Just like almost all the adults involved in this terrible story.

EMPR