After the start of a full-scale war in Ukraine, the Russian authorities began to massively deport orphans from the occupied territories. In front of cameras they were handed over to Russian families and placed in orphanages. Maria Lvova-Belova, the Commissioner for Children's Rights, became the face of this process.

In March 2023, the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin and Lvova-Belova in connection with the illegal deportation of children.

IStories found out how many Ukrainian children may be in Russia, and documented the first case of adoption of a child from Ukraine by a high-ranking Russian official. The main materials are in this case.