March 22, 2023

Masha, The War Criminal


Masha, The War Criminal
Maria Lvova-Belova (center), wanted for the abduction of children in Ukraine by the Hague, stands in a forest surrounded by her children and her priest husband. Krogel Maciej, Twitter.

A recent arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) targetted not just President Vladimir Putin, but also Maria "Masha" Lvova-Belova, the Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights. As with Putin, the 38-year-old was indicted by the ICC for her role in deporting children from Ukraine, which is a violation of international law and an act of genocide

But who is she?

Lvova-Belova was originally a guitar teacher in schools in her native Penza. At 19, she married programmer-turned-priest Pavel Kogelman in order to have a large family. According to Lvova-Belova, she would not go on more than one date with a man who wanted less than three children.

She then became involved in NGOs helping orphans and opened rehabilitation centers for persons with disabilities. During that time, she began adopting multiple children while birthing five of her own. She and her husband currently have 22 children. Her philanthropic endeavors caught the attention — and money — of the Orthodox Church, the state, oligarchs like Roman Abramovich, and, more importantly, Putin. However, as her political fame grew, reports emerged that people staying in her facilities with severe disabilities were hidden from authorities and some even died due to a lack of proper care.

In March 2022, "Masha" made it clear that Ukrainian orphans would be — illegally, it should be noted — sent to Russia. Children from Donetsk and Luhansk were the first victims of the deportation, which later was extended to all occupied regions. Ukrainian kids and teenagers have been relocated and forcibly adopted by Russian families. Lvova-Belova herself appropriated a teenager from Mariupol, 15-year-old Fillip.

Lvova-Belova has personally accompanied the abductions, and Putin has forcibly imposed Russian citizenship on the victims. Lvova-Belova has also received deported children dressed in Russian folk costumes and insisted: "We receive you like this because now you are ours."

The Ukrainian government website Children of War estimates that over 16,000 children have been abducted into Russia. Only 307 have been returned.

You Might Also Like

Forced Integration, Continued
  • July 17, 2022

Forced Integration, Continued

Russia's streamlined passport process, offered to residents of Kherson and Zaporizhia, has been expanded to include all Ukrainian citizens. 
An Imposed Russian Birthright
  • June 20, 2022

An Imposed Russian Birthright

Children born in the Ukrainian city of Kherson will now receive Russian citizenship, whether they want it or not.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
Russia Rules

Russia Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
At the Circus

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Marooned in Moscow

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955