In the quiet village of Burgauberg-Neudauberg in Austria’s Burgenland region, a deeply emotional departure is underway. Fifty-two Ukrainian children, many of them orphans and some with disabilities, are scheduled to begin their journey back to Ukraine in the early hours of Sunday morning, despite the war still raging in their homeland, reported by 5 Minuten.
The children, who have lived in a repurposed hotel run by the Senecura Group since fleeing the Russian invasion in March 2022, are set to leave at 3 a.m. by bus and later transfer to a train bound for Kropyvnytskyi — a region that, according to caregivers, has already seen Russian attacks.
The decision to send them back has stirred unease. Those who have cared for the children, including members of the nonprofit “Little Hearts,” expressed sorrow and frustration. “It’s over,” said Pascale Vayer, a caregiver who had hoped the children might remain in safety.
Despite criticism from aid groups and the UNHCR, Austrian officials say they are powerless to intervene. Legal custody lies with the head of the Ukrainian care institution, who coordinated the return with authorities in Ukraine. Austrian officials maintain they have reviewed the circumstances and found no legal grounds to block the move.
So the buses will roll quietly through the night — carrying not just children, but the weight of uncertainty and hope for peace on the road ahead.
