In the Carpathian region, a woman tried to sell her newborn son for $20,000
Law enforcement officers and prosecutors in the Ivano-Frankivsk region uncovered an attempt to sell a newborn baby. According to the investigation, a 30-year-old resident of Kyiv Oblast, who is raising five minor children, attempted to sell her newborn son for 20,000 U.S. dollars, disguising the transaction as a surrogacy arrangement.
According to the investigation, as early as her sixth month of pregnancy, the woman decided to find buyers for her unborn child.
On social media, she spread the message that she was allegedly carrying the child as a surrogate mother—a child abandoned by its biological parents—and was looking for a family to adopt him.
A resident of Ivano-Frankivsk responded to the ad. According to investigators, she purchased a ticket for the pregnant woman to travel to the city, paid for medical examinations, housing rent, groceries, medication, and other expenses related to the pregnancy and childbirth. In addition, the woman allegedly gave a 10,000 hryvnia deposit.
On July 2, 2026, the suspect gave birth to a healthy baby boy at one of the perinatal centers in Ivano-Frankivsk. The very next day, according to law enforcement officials, the parties retroactively drew up a fictitious surrogacy agreement in a hospital room, which was intended to create the appearance of a legal transfer of the infant to the “genetic parents.”
According to the investigation, the handover of the newborn took place on July 6 in the courtyard of the perinatal center. After receiving 20,000 U.S. dollars and signing a waiver of any claims to the child, the woman was detained by law enforcement officers.
Prosecutors informed the suspect that she is charged under Part 3 of Article 149 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—human trafficking involving a minor. The penalty for this offense is up to 15 years in prison.
The court ordered the woman to be held in pretrial detention, with the option of posting bail in the amount of 500,000 hryvnias. She is currently being held in a pretrial detention center.
In addition to the newborn boy, the suspect has five other children. According to the investigation, only her three-year-old son was living with her, while the other four children live with their grandmother in the Kyiv region. The relevant social services are handling the issue of further protection for the newborn and the other children.
Law enforcement officials also reported that, according to preliminary data, the suspect’s husband and parents were aware of her intentions. Searches were conducted at their residences.
In accordance with Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of a crime until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and established by a final and binding court conviction.
This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.
Earlier in Zakarpattia, a court sentenced a 46-year-old man who attempted to organize the illegal removal of an 11-month-old boy abroad under the guise of adoption. He planned to earn tens of thousands of dollars through this scheme but was detained at a border crossing along with the child. He has now been sentenced to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.
In Zakarpattia, a court sentenced a former boarding school teacher to 10 years in prison for attempting to sell an 11-month-old boy under the guise of adoption. In addition to the prison term, the man’s property was confiscated.
On May 14, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed Bill No. 15167 in its first reading, which provides for the creation of a special fund for a military levy. According to the bill, all proceeds from this levy will be used exclusively for the financial support of Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel.
On May 14, the Ukrainian parliament approved amendments to the Charter of the Garrison and Guard Services of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
