Around 20 babies born to Ukrainian surrogate mothers are stuck at a makeshift basement bomb shelter in the capital city of Kyiv, with their foreign parents still unable to meet and claim them because of the travel restrictions in the war-torn country.
According to a report by the Associated Press, the infants, some of whom are just a few days old, are well cared for inside the bomb shelter. The intensity of the fighting can still be heard, though, below ground, with the blasts of occasional shelling striking fear in the hearts of the shelter's occupants.
Apart from the Ukrainian surrogates and their babies, many of the surrogacy center's nurses are also taking refuge in the bomb shelter because it is too dangerous to travel to and from their respective homes in Kyiv. Russian forces are closing in on Kyiv, with heavy fighting witnessed between Vladimir Putin's army and Ukrainian troops in the city's suburbs.
Nurse describes conditions in Kyiv bomb shelter
According to 51-year-old nurse Lyudmilia Yashchenko, they are staying in the bomb shelter to protect themselves and preserve the babies' lives. Yashcenko said they are hiding here from the bombing and this horrible misery.
Yashchenko added that the people staying in the shelter leave briefly to inhale some fresh air during the day, but they do not dare stay out too long because of the Russian attacks. Adding to Yashchenko's worries is that both of her own children are fighting to defend Ukraine. She has two sons, who are aged 22 and 30.
Surrogacy is a big business in this part of the world as Ukraine is one of the few countries that allow the service for foreign clients. These babies' parents live in China, Europe, and Latin America. According to Quartz, Ukraine is the second most popular destination for foreign couples seeking surrogacy services, behind only the United States.
Read Also : Human Trafficking Problem Surfaces in War-torn Ukraine After Chinese Pair Caught Smuggling Babies
Stressful times for Ukrainian surrogates and foreign parents
The good news for the babies under their care is that the facility has plenty of food and baby supplies. The main question is how long these supplies will last with the fighting inside Ukraine showing no signs of stopping. More Ukrainian surrogates may be on their way to the bomb shelter as well to seek refuge from the attacks, further depleting their resources.
Yashchenko refused to answer how many parents have come to get their children already, and how many more surrogate mothers are expected to deliver soon, or how many infants are still waiting. Yashchenko said that they are almost not sleeping and are working round the clock to take care of the babies even in these challenging times.
The situation regarding the Ukrainian surrogates and their babies is stressful for the nurses trapped in the bomb shelter and the parents waiting outside Ukraine. These parents paid huge money to grow their families. According to a report by Fox Business, the typical price range of surrogacy in Ukraine is between $43,000 and $53,000.
