An illegal guesthouse operating out of an ordinary apartment was uncovered in Zaporizhzhia
In Zaporizhzhia, authorities discovered an apartment where eight people—most of whom had limited mobility—were living under the pretense of providing care for the elderly. After an inspection, all residents were evacuated, and the police opened a criminal investigation.
According to Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, the people were living in unsanitary conditions, without proper care or nutrition. Some of them stated that they were being held against their will, and that their personal documents and bank cards had been confiscated.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, reported the exposure in Zaporizhzhia of a so-called private care facility that was operating out of an ordinary apartment. The story began after a woman contacted Mykhailo Volkov, the Ombudsman’s representative in the Zaporizhzhia region. She had been trying to locate her aunt, who had been taken away by representatives of a private organization following medical treatment. The family was told that the woman had been placed in a facility where she was allegedly receiving residential care.
When relatives arrived to pick up the woman, they were not allowed to see her. This prompted an investigation. During the visit, representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office discovered that eight people were living in an apartment measuring approximately 40 square meters, most of whom had serious health problems or were mobility-impaired.
The conditions in which the residents lived were extremely harsh. The apartment was unsanitary and dirty; the bathroom was in disrepair; and the mattresses were heavily soiled. According to the ombudsman, the residents were also not receiving adequate nutrition. The inspectors were particularly shocked by the condition of a person who had lost both lower limbs. She was forced to lie on a mattress placed directly on the floor.
During the inspection, it also came to light that the residents’ personal documents and bank cards had been confiscated. One of the men said he was in the apartment against his will. “This is not care; it is a violation of human dignity,” emphasized Dmytro Lubinets.
Following the intervention of the Ombudsman’s Office, all the people were removed from the apartment. One resident was hospitalized due to health issues, while the others were placed in safe locations where they are receiving the necessary care. Law enforcement authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the incident. The Ombudsman stated that he will insist that all those responsible be held accountable.
Dmytro Lubinets noted that this case highlights a broader problem. According to him, private nursing homes and care facilities continue to operate in Ukraine, and their activities are not sufficiently regulated by the state. He recalled that since 2023, monitoring groups from the National Preventive Mechanism have inspected 152 private geriatric facilities.
The Ombudsman called for legislation requiring all private social service providers to register their activities and ensuring effective state oversight of residents’ living conditions. “Older adults and people with disabilities have the right not merely to survive, but to live in safety and with care. No charitable or religious organization can serve as a cover for abuse or unlawful deprivation of liberty,” emphasized Dmytro Lubinets. This was reported by Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights.
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