Ukrainian Teen Forcibly Relocated to Russia Commits Suicide in Foster Family

An 18-year-old Ukrainian orphan, Oleksandr Yakushchenko, who was relocated from the Kherson region to Russia, reportedly committed suicide while living with a foster family in Russian Krasnodar Krai, Russian media Vazhnyie Istorii reported on December 24.

The information had not been publicly disclosed. The head of the foster family, Aleksandr Lukashenko, said that Yakushchenko hanged himself a few kilometers from their home. “His body was found by workers heading to their shift in the morning,” Lukashenko said.

When asked about the reasons behind the young man’s suicide, Lukashenko responded: “How would I know why? He was 18 years old, an adult. He just lived with us.”

Vazhnyie Istorii reported at least one case when Lukashenka’s family took away his documents. It is unknown how many times this happened. Probably, the guardianship authorities were aware of this practice. “Guardianship said that he wanted to return to Ukraine, they took away his passport, and he went and hanged himself because of that,” says Karina Petrenko, who was brought up together with him in a Ukrainian orphanage.

“A foster family came and picked out the cheapest coffin. When the flowers were laid, they just came up and threw them like a dog. And when it was time to leave, the foster family said: ‘Thank God, he died. Less problems’, – says one of the friends of the deceased.

Shortly before his death, Yakushchenko sent a voice message to friends revealing the struggles he faced in the foster family.

“Nobody here gives a damn about me. They’ve made that clear. I’m just ruining everyone’s life. I can’t do it anymore; I’ll hang myself… If I were gone, nobody would have any damn problems. If only I hadn’t come here.”

Before the fall of 2022, Yakushchenko had been living in a family-style orphanage in Tokarivka, a village near Kherson, along with seven other children.

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