Scandal at the ‘Artek Prykarpattya’ camp: parents have reported bullying and physical abuse of their children
This was reported by D1 TV.
The children returned home with bruises
The story gained widespread attention following a post by Natalia Romanovska. Her 11-year-old son, who had been at a camp under a state programme for the children of Ukraine’s defenders, showed his mother a video upon his return home in which other teenagers were pushing him, tearing his clothes and holding him down by force.
According to the woman, the boy had kept quiet about the bullying because he was afraid of threats from the other children. Upon his return, his parents sought medical attention; doctors documented numerous bruises and haematomas, and they also filed a report with the police.
Kateryna Tymchyna recounted a similar story. She took her eight-year-old son home early from the camp after he had repeatedly complained about the aggressive behaviour of other children. According to the mother, her appeals to the camp staff and management did nothing to improve the situation.
Following these posts on social media, other accounts from parents began to emerge. They claim that some children returned home with physical injuries and psychological trauma. Users have also raised concerns about potentially overcrowded rooms, children of different ages being housed together, and inadequate medical care. However, this information has not yet been officially confirmed.
Law enforcement are investigating the circumstances
The Drohobych District Police Department has confirmed that it has received a complaint from the parents of the affected child. According to Veronika Nersesova, an inspector in the juvenile prevention unit, an investigation is currently underway, following which a legal assessment of the incident will be provided. At the same time, the police noted that reports of conflicts between children at this camp had been received previously, but at the time they did not contain any indications of a criminal offence.
The camp management disputes the findings pending the outcome of the investigation
The camp states that it is cooperating with law enforcement and conducting an internal investigation. Senior camp counsellor Valentin Tutov emphasised that there is currently no confirmation that the child sustained injuries whilst at the camp. According to him, the management is in constant contact with parents via dedicated chat groups, and following the public outcry over the situation, juvenile police officers have been brought in to assist. In addition, the camp has announced plans to set up a permanent police post to respond more swiftly to any potential conflicts between children.
The camp continues to operate
‘Artek Prykarpattia’ has been operating in Truskavets since 2021. Around 1,500 children stay here at any one time during a single session, including internally displaced persons, children of military personnel and other priority groups.
Despite the scandal, the camp continues to accept new groups. The administration insists that it adheres to a zero-tolerance policy towards violence and promises to help establish the full circumstances of the incident.
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