Ludmila Pestova, resident of Nova Kakhovka, visited her son Andrii in the morning of November 4, 2022. He has lived for years in Dnipryany psychoneurological boarding school, specialized residential facility for long term care and support for adults with serious mental and neurological disorders.
When she came back home, she noticed a column of buses ahead of her. Later she was told that one of them carried her son Andrii to Crimea and then to Russia. Ludmila had to search her son and persuade Russian occupants that he has been her son.
On that November day, armed Russian occupants forcibly took away 96 residents of the boarding school. They did not warn their parents or legitimate guardians. One resident was frightened and tried to hide in the nearby building. Russian occupants caught him and made an unknown injection, «to calm him down». Finally, Russians deported remaining residents of the boarding school – bedridden patients, who could not move without assistance.
«Boys did not want to go and did not understand what was going on. Russians behaved like Gestapo people from movies about Nazists. They took and dragged patients to buses. Patients cried and did not want to go. Their weeping broke my heart», as told witnesses of those events.
The Center for Journalist Investigations interviewed relatives of forcibly deported people with serious mental disorders and witnesses of this war crime. For security reasons, we do not quote some real names whereas other names are changed (they are marked with *).
Patients of psychoneurological boarding school in Dnipryany before Russian occupation. Photo provided to the CJI by personnel of the school.
«Director Semenov refused to evacuate patients to the free territory of Ukraine»
Personnel of Dnipryany psychoneurological boarding school have been in frustration and despair during first weeks of the Russian occupation. Their 116 patients needed drugs, food and permanent care. But Dnipryany village as well as neighboring Nova Kakhovka has been completely isolated on the first day of Russian aggression from Right Bank Kherson region and the city of Kherson. Before Russian aggression, all necessary supplies of the school came from that part of the region.
When shool’s reserves were exhausted, the management of the school made public appeal for help to the public. Volunteers and inhabitants of Kherson region started bringing money, drugs and food.
«Director of school Volodymyr Semenov opened special bank card for donations. He was very surprised how many people donated money. We did not know how he used them. He did not make any public reports», as told an employee of the school to the CJI.
In spring 2022, Russian troops tried to enter the school and put their military vehicles there. Personnel of the school state that this first attempt failed. They complained to representatives of Russian occupation authorities in Nova Kakhovka.
However, the situation in local community quickly worsened. Many local residents were forced to evacuate. There were frequent blackouts. Russian indiscriminate shelling killed civilians. It has been very dangerous to live near Russian army bases.
In August 2022, personnel of the school received the last salary from the Ukrainian budget. Volodymyr Semenov announced that the school would work under Russian legislation. In summer 2022, Semenov participated in Russian propagandist broadcasts and thanked Russian occupants for delivered food, drugs and diapers.
Russian troops bring «humanitarian assistance» to the boarding school in Dnipryany, June 2022. Screenshot of Russian propagandist video
«Semenov started his cooperation with Russian occupants by accepting and distributing Russian humanitarian assistance. It was brought to his house for patients of the school. But he and his relatives distributed it among local pensioners. Then, Russians brought him a bag with money. Semenov was supposed to distribute 10 thousand Rubles per person as so-called Russian material assistance. Occupants tried to buy loyalty of local people. Semenov kept some money for himself. I was told to receive them, in order not «to offer» them to Semenov. I was promised to get 6 thousand Rubles, not 10 thousand. I refused to do it. Many my colleagues also refused», as recalls an employee of the boarding school.
According to her, volunteer organizations proposed Volodymyr Semenov transport to bring all patients at the end of summer 2022 to the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government. Though it has been risky (Russians did not secure any «green corridors» for civilians, and the road went through so-called «grey zone»), it has been possible at that time, as say employees of the school, who witnessed those events. Semenov refused to do it.
In autumn 2022, Volodymyr Semenov illegally registered boarding school under Russian jurisdiction. It has been named «Dnepro psychoneurological boarding school-house». Semenov became its first director under Russian occupation.
Some employees kept working. As they explain, they did not want to leave their seriously ill patients alone.
Volodymyr Semenov, January 2023. Screenshot of Russian propagandist video
Volodymyr Semenov told his subordinates at the end of October 2022 that Russians were going «to evacuate» all patients, and ordered preparatory work. But nobody knew the time of «evacuation» and its destination. Semenov did not warn relatives and guardians of patients about it. Many people received information from the media but it has been too late. Their overwhelming majority have been unable to visit their forcibly deported relatives until now.
«Nobody will return your son!» Stories of Andrii and Maksym
On November 6, 2022, Valentyna Ivanova*, mother of school’s patient, came to Ludmyla Pestova. She showed her the news about deportation from Dnipryany. Women decided to do something.
«Next day, on Monday, we came to Volodymyr Semenov and asked him why he did not warn us about deportation of our children. He told us that he did not know about deportation. He lied, as I found out later. We asked him where Russians brought our children. He told us about Simferopol. Valentyna immediately went there and I went next day. When I came to the boarding school in Simferopol, I asked security guard about my son. He answered that I was late as all patients would be transported by railway to Russian city of Stavropol at noon. I ran to railway station. Special train with patients was still there. I hoped to take it and go to Stavropol with my son. However, Russian occupants did not let me in and advised to take usual train. I asked to see my son but they did not allow me», as recalls Ludmyla Pestova.
When she came to Stavropol, she started calling local ministry of social welfare and all boarding schools. She quickly realized that special train from Crimea has not yet arrived. One public official told her that her son would be sent to Nevynnomysk. Ludmyla Pestova asked her whether she would be able to meet the train and take her son. Russian official answered: «No, nobody would return your son. There would be solemn greeting procedure, with TV cameras».
Then, somebody told her that Andrii would be taken to Svetlograd and advised her to go there. Women went there and met director of local psychoneurological boarding svhool Valuzhenich Yevhenii Vladimirovich.
«I begged him to return my son because I have been his legitimate guardian and I had all necessary documents. Valuzhenich refused and told me that he has been already his guardian and that «you are nobody». I cried and answered him: «How could you be the guardian of Andrii if you have not yet seen him?» I also asked not to issue Russian passport and citizenship to Andrii. I said Andrii did not need it», as told us Ludmyla Pestova.
Patients of the boarding school in Dnipryany a few days before the Russian aggression. Photo from the archive of the school
Patients, deported from the Ukrainian boarding school, were soon brought to Svetlograd. Ludmyla was allowed to see her son. As she says, Andrii always cried and was in desparate condition. To calm him down, Russians regularly made him injections.
Ludmyla decided to fight for her son. She wrote letters and met in person Russian prosecutors, police officers and public officials. She threatened to submit lawsuits to the court; she cried and begged to return her son. Russians proposed her to receive Russian passport, «housing certificate» and settle in Stavropol region. Woman rejected all «proposals» and answered that she would like to make her own decision about the place of residence for her and her son.
«Russians saw that I did not give up. After one month and a half, they returned my son. It happened on December 17, 2022. Volunteers helped me with legal advice. On December 18, 2022, they brought me from Russia to Europe», as says Ludmyla Pestova.
Now she lives in Denmark. Andrii lives in local psychoneurological boarding school. As an outcome of stressful situation, he became very aggressive. He needs professional care. As Ludmyla says, they live in Denmark under very favorable conditions. She keeps thanking this country for assistance and care.
Ludmyla and Andrii Pestov on the territory of the psychoneurological boarding school in Denmark, 2024. Photo provided to the CJI by Ludmyla Pestova
Story of Ludmyla and Andrii Pestov is the only known case when Russian occupants returned the son to his Ukrainian mother and legitimate guardian.
At least, six patients of Ukrainian Dnypriany boarding school have been illegally kept in Russian Svetlograd psychoneurological boarding school by now.
Other patients were scattered around boarding schools in Russia and occupied Crimea.
Valentyna Ivanova, resident of Nova Kakhovka, failed to return her son, though; she also addressed Russian boarding schools and public officials.
Inna Chernous, resident of Bilozerka in Kherson region, also failed to return her nephew Maksym. Russians brought him to Nevynnomysky psychoneurological boarding school, headed by Frolov Sergei Anatoljevich.
She tried to get him from Dnipryany schhol before his deportation to Russia. But Volodymyr Semenov did not allow her.
«Nobody told us that Maksym would be taken away to Russia. Then, I was told that he was given Russian passport. I was shocked. His grandmother had a stroke when she was told that he was deported. He was born with Down syndrome and oligophrenia. He became a member of our family. He is very kind», as told us Inna Chernous.
Inna Chernous with nephew Maksym. Photo provided to the CJI by Inna Chernous
«Boys cried, clang to their nannies whereas Russians forcibly pushed them to buses»
Olena Vasylenko*, employee of Dnipryany boarding school, recalls events of November 4, 2022, as a horror.
«Russian armed soldiers surrounded the school and asked to open the gate. I refused as they did not present themselves and did not show any documents. They threatened – if we would not open the gate, they would crash the gate by armored vehicle and put everybody into that vehicle. We did not know that they were going to deport our patients on that day. Director Volodymyr Semenov did not tell us. He has not been in the school at that time. He came later. Russian occupants told us that «your Vladimir Vitaljevich knew about it!»
As she says, there were around twenty Russian soldiers. They were accompanied by representatives of two psychoneurological schools in Crimea. They told that patients would be brought there. They lied.
According to Olena Vasylenko, patients cried, did not want to go and clanged to nannies and other employees of the school. Russians forcibly pushed them to buses.
Personnel of the school asked Russians to warn parents of patients about deportation. Around twenty patients had their parents as legitimate guardians. Other patients had some relatives or the school (its director Semenov) has been their guardian. The mobile communication was weak at that time and school’s employees failed to contact many parents.
«We tried to calm our patients but in vain. We all cried. We prepared documents and gave passports and dossiers of patients to Russian occupants. It has been very hard to do it under those circumstances. Russians proposed school’s personnel to leave the school with their patients and promised to provide an employment. But all refused because we saw the hatred with which they conducted deportation. Unknown people accompanied our boys to Crimea», as recalls Olena Vasylenko.
Russian soldiers in Dnipryany boarding school, June 2022. Screenshot of video from social media
Russian occupants deported 96 patients of Dnipryany school on that day. Twenty bedridden patients were taken out by special transport later. It has been covered by numerous Russian propagandists. Russians put bedridden patients into occupied resort in Strilkove village in Genichesk district on the Arabat Spit. Volodymyr Semenov joined them and gave several interviews to Russian media.
As former employee of Dnipryany school told us (she asked not to disclose her name), some of her colleagues came with Semenov as they agreed to work for Russian occupants.
«Semenov shouted at his subordinates and asked everybody to come with him to Genichesk. He urged to move with families and promised to find the housing. The majority did not agree to move. As soon as Semenov came to Genichesk, our school was robbed; unknown people stole equipment in the kitchen. One of our employees came later there to find documents, necessary for registration in the Pension Fund. He found nothing. Everything was destroyed», as told us former employee of the school.
Volodymyr Semenov in Russian propagandist video, June 2022. Screenshot of video from social media
Who was involved into the deportation of patients of Dnipryany school?
Volodymyr Semenov has managed illegally created «Dnepro psychoneurological boarding school-house» for almost one year. As his former employees told us, he misappropriated certain amount of their salaries. They complained to Russian occupation authorities. Russians launched revision and dismissed Semenov. It is unknown whether he is alive and where he lives.
It is not surprising for people who knew him. As Inna Chernous told us, Semenov had an access to the money of her nephew Maksym and dozens of patients for whom he has been legitimate guardian. She does not know what happened with those savings.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian State Register of Legal Entities indicates Semenov as legitimate director of Dnipryany boarding school. No amendments were made. Ukrainian law enforcement bodies have not yet announced him suspicion in state treason for his collaboration with Russian occupants.
According to Oleksandr Samoilenko, the Head of Kherson Oblast Council, only two directors of local boarding schools have been fired by the oblast council from February 24, 2022 untill July 10, 2024. Their names are Alyona Moiseenko, acting director of Chaplynka retirement house (upon her own will) and Borys Shutikov, director of Kherson psychoneurological boarding house (upon mutual consent). Ukrainian law enforcement bodies accused Shutikov of collaboration with Russian occupants.
«On July 10, 2024, the Oblast Council transferred its powers to appoint and dismiss similar managers to Kherson Oblast State Administration for the period of martial law», as explained Oleksandr Samoilenko.
As Olena Mikheeva, the Head of Department of Social Development of Kherson Oblast State Administration, told us, the administration does not have legitimate grounds to dismiss Volodymyr Semenov: there were no his application for retirement, no criminal investigation into his activity as collaborator with occupation authorities, no court decision.
«We lost contact with him since July 2022. We do not finance Dnipryany school. We informed law enforcement bodies about events in the school long time ago but we did not receive any answer from them», as told Olena Mikheeva.
After dismissal of Semenov from Russian occupation «Dnepro psychoneurological boarding school-house», there have been several directors of the school. Trusov Vladyslav Vitaliyovych, Crimean collaborator, has managed the school from October 2023 till January 2024 (Trusov had private farm in Crimea).
Crimean resident Lobov Maksym Volodymyrovych, has managed school from January till July 2024. Berezutsky Dmitrii Georgievich, Russian citizen from Stavropol region, has managed it from July 2024 till March 2025. He has been also the head of occupation department of labor and social policy in Kakhovka district of Kherson region.
Dmitrii Berezutsky (in the center) with deported patients of Dnipryany boarding school in Strilkove, October 2024. Photo from Russian occupation social media
Now the school-house is headed by Russian citizen Chicherin Mikhail Vladimirovich from Rostov region.
Parents and former employees of Ukrainian Dnipryany school succeeded in identifying whereabouts of the majority of deported patients. It was found out that 55 patients have been kept in six psychoneurological schools-houses in the Russian Federation and 19 patients – in occupied Crimea and Kherson oblast.
At least, ten patients have been illegally kept in Russian Balakhonovsky psychoneurological boarding house in Stavropol region (its director – Kelemetov Yerezhep Yakubovich), nine patients – in above mentioned Nevynnomysky boarding house, nineteen patients – in Russian Nadzornensky psychoneurological boarding house (its director – Bratkov Vladimir Nikolayevich).
At least, four men have been illegally kept in Izobilnensky boarding house (director – Yermakov Vladimir Nikolayevich), seven patients – in Takhtinsky boarding house (director- Belyaev Yevhenii Vjacheslavovich), five patients – in illegally created Kerch boarding house in Crimea (its director – Morozov Vladimir Leonardovich from Rostov region in Russia). Fourteen men have been kept in Strilkove village in Genichesk district.
The majority of mentioned boarding schools and bodies solemnly announced in their social media the arrival of Ukrainian patients, deported from Kherson region. It is obvious that patients have been under heavy pressure of Russian propaganda. They have been regularly involved into Russian church, sports and other governmental events.
It is confirmed by former employees of Dnipryany boarding school. Some of them had the chance to communicate with their patients.
«All patients are very sad about their native boarding school and Ukraine. Russians regularly involve them into various events; they give them bags with Russian symbols, Russian flags; they use them at various Russian holidays etc. So, patients have been under permanent influence of Russian propaganda. It should be also mentioned that each additional patient brings additional budgetary money to boarding schools, growth of salaries etc.», as told former employees of the school.
Screenshot of news of Russian Nevynnomysky boarding school, January 2024
«We are waiting for the return of our Maksym»
In 2022, Russian occupants forcibly deported Ukrainian incapacitated citizens from other boarding schools and institutions in Kherson region. They forcibly deported over 300 patients of Kairy psychoneurological boarding school-house, located in Gornostaivska village community in Kakhovka district. Later, their majority was taken to Krasnodar krai and Volgograd oblast in the Russian Federaton. Russian occupants turned Kairy boarding school-house into military hospital.
On November 5, 2022, Russian occupants forcibly deported over 400 patients of Kakhovka and Goloprystansky retirement houses, with the personnel of houses. Occupants brought them to occupied Crimea and later – to Rostov and Voronezh oblasts of the Russian Federation.
Russians also deported 54 patients of Kherson psychoneurological boarding house. They promised them «sea resorts» but patients just disappeared. Their relatives, guardians and former employees of the house do not know their whereabouts.
At the end of 2023, occupants closed retirement house in Pershopokrovka village in Nyzhnyosirogozka community of Genichesk district.
Some of them were later found in «Vladimiro-Iljinsky geriatric boarding house», illegally created on the basis of Ukrainian specialized boarding house for old men in Chumatsky Shljakh village in Novotroitska village community of Genichesk district.
Local residents complained that Russian occupants turned «geriatric house» into brothel. Recently, they informed that occupants were going to create so-called center of socio-psychological rehabilitation for wounded Russian soldiers.
According to Volodymyr Klutsevsky, Deputy Head of Kherson Oblast State Administration, before the Russian full scale invasion into Ukraine, 1 486 patients have resided in 10 boarding schools-houses in Kherson region. The list of institutions is as follows: geriatric \ retirement houses in Gola Prystan, Kakhovka and Chaplynka; psychoneurological schools and houses in Kherson, Ushkalka, Oleshky, Dnipryany and Kairy; boarding house in Chumatsky Shlyakh and boarding house for children in Oleshky.
«Russian occupation authorities replaced managers and employees of these institutions and illegally deported their patients to occupied Crimea and the Russian Federation under the guise of rehabilitation. There is no information about destiny and whereabouts of deported patients. We submitted letters about illegal evacuation of patients to prosecutors, the National Police of Ukraine, the State Security Service of Ukraine and representative of the Ombudsman of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Human Rights», as said Volodymyr Klutsevsky.
He added that only one institution, Kherson psychoneurological boarding school-house, is now located on de-occupied territory. Under Russian heavy shelling, the school stopped its activity. 300 patients were evacuated to similar institutions in Mykolaiv, Cherkasy and Ternopil oblasts. Some patients were taken by relatives. The destiny of 54 patients, deported by Russians, is still unknown.
Patients of Dnipryany boarding school a few days before the Russian aggression. Photo from the archive of the school
Human rights activists state that international humanitarian law forbids forced movement or deportation of protected persons, including civilians with disabilities.
«There is only one exception. It is about evacuation caused by the need to secure safety of people or by very specific and important reasons of military character. Even under these circumstances, protected persons can be moved only within the occupied territory. Movement to the territory of occupying state (Russian Federation) can be conducted only under very exceptional circumstances. Russia is obliged to inform the International Committee of the Red Cross about it and to facilitate contacts between relatives and their reunification. The Russian Federation does not fulfill its obligations. That is why we are talking about serious violation of the international humanitarian law. It may constitute war crime and crime against humanity», as said Onysia Synuk, legal analyst of Ukrainian human rights Center ZMINA.
According to former employees of Dnipryany boarding house, deportation to the hostile country has been horrible stress for their patients.
«Our patients have very acute feelings of attachment to the place they lived, to the people who accompanied them. Many patients did not have parents and personnel of the boarding school became their closest people. Russian occupants cut all these ties. When I speak with deported patients, they are very sad about our school. They would like to return. I ask them to be cautious and tell them – Just live! Enjoy your life! They always say at the end of our conversations: «We wish you protecting angels! We are waiting for our meeting,» as told us former employee of the boarding house under conditions of anonymity.
Parents and guardians are also waiting for the return of them.
«We are waiting for the return of our Maksym. His grandmother is waiting. She recovered from stroke. She will be 82 years old this year. She would like to see her grandson», as said Inna Chernous from Bilozerka.
Relatives are waiting for Maksym. Photo provided by Inna Chernous
Investigation conducted under the assistance of program «Stronger Together: Media and Democracy», implemented by WAN-IFRA in partnership with Association «Independent regional publishers of Ukraine» and Norwegian association of media business under the support of Norway. The views expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the official position of the program partners.
