In September 2025, Nina Kutina and her two young daughters were repatriated to Moscow, Russia, after being discovered living in a cave in Gokarna Forest, India, on July 9th. Speaking to the BBC, Kutina recounted the profound reasons that led her to embrace a life hidden within nature’s embrace.
A primary catalyst for her nine-month sojourn in the cave was the profound grief following the tragic death of her eldest son, Dmitry. He was killed in a traffic accident in Goa state in September 2024, close to the very cave where Kutina would eventually seek refuge. She described Dmitry’s loss as a period of “deep sorrow,” compelling her to retreat from conventional society.
“We had never lived in a cave before. We came to explore. We love nature and have lived in various places around the world, including wilderness. But living in a cave was a new experience,” Kutina shared in her interview with the BBC, highlighting her family’s nomadic and nature-centric lifestyle.
Beyond her personal bereavement, Nina felt that a simple life intertwined with nature offered the ideal environment for the growth and development of her two daughters, Ama, aged five, and Prema, aged six.
“I don’t want to live in a typical panel apartment in Moscow. I want to live by the sea so my children can run on the sand and see the world. I want them to have a more interesting and healthy life,” Kutina articulated, expressing her desire for an upbringing far removed from urban confines.
Her other son, Luchezar, did not join them in the cave, remaining in Arambol, India, where he was attending school, a few hours away from their secluded dwelling.
However, this unique cave existence was destined to end. Indian police located the family after following the distinctive trail of barefoot blonde children in a popular pilgrimage area of India, leading them to Nina and her daughters.
Upon police investigation, it was discovered that Kutina’s immigration documents had expired. She admitted to the BBC that following her son’s death, she simply lacked the emotional fortitude to manage the necessary paperwork.
Authorities eventually persuaded her to relocate to immigration facilities, citing unsafe conditions such as the presence of snakes, wild animals, and the risk of landslides during the monsoon season.
Kutina, however, offered a defiant rebuttal to these concerns on her Telegram channel. “No snake ever hurt us. No animal attacked us. For years, we only feared humans,” she wrote, underscoring her perspective on the true dangers they faced.
What did Nina Kutina do while living in the open?
During her time in the cave, Nina explained that she transformed their dwelling into a home, adorning it with handicrafts. She also constructed a bed from wooden planks and laid mats on the cave floor, creating a surprisingly comfortable living space.
The police officers who discovered Nina and her children confirmed that the family “appeared comfortable” inside their makeshift cave home, a testament to Kutina’s resourcefulness.
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Nina’s friend in India, Vasily Kondrashov, described her as “legendary in a certain sense.” Kondrashov revealed that Nina and her children first began living in the forests of northern Goa approximately 10 years prior, before eventually moving into the cave.
“Among the giant roots of tropical trees, Nina created two fabric-covered rooms. One side served as a living area with an altar, the other a bedroom,” he recounted, painting a vivid picture of her earlier, equally unconventional home. “Beneath the trees, a river flowed, forming a small natural pool. The surrounding area was lined with clay, featuring handmade chairs, a campfire, tools, and children’s toys.”
Kondrashov also inquired about her safety regarding wild animals like snakes. Nina calmly responded, “There were two snakes living near our house, and we knew each other well,” highlighting her deep connection with the natural world.
Then, how did Nina and the little girls eat?
Despite their remote location in the forest, Nina stated that they were close enough to Gokarna to purchase fresh fruit. Their diet was strictly vegetarian, with her daughters having been vegetarians since birth.
Kutina firmly believed that this natural lifestyle contributed to their well-being, asserting that they had never fallen ill due to their unique way of life.
Nina, born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), has always embraced a life of extensive travel and exploration. Her journeys have taken her across Russia and to countries including Ukraine, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Costa Rica, Nepal, and ultimately, India.
It was abroad that she gave birth to Luchezar, followed by her two daughters, Ama and Prema, all born at home without medical intervention. She described her family bond as exceptionally close, a result of their shared experiences and unconventional upbringing.
“I spend 24 hours a day with my children. I have a degree in education, an art background, and I am a musician,” she proudly told the BBC, showcasing her diverse talents and dedication to her children’s development.
Kutina pursued her education in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk for approximately eight years, earning a degree in education. However, she later worked as an interior designer in Moscow before leaving Russia 15 years ago with her eldest son, Dmitry.
For many years, Kutina professed a greater comfort living “under the open sky, in harmony with nature,” a philosophy she consistently upheld.
On her Telegram channel, “PecheRNaYa ZhizN” (translated as Cave Life), she actively promoted knitting lessons and shared her knowledge of drawing and sculpting, even continuing these activities during her period of detention.
‘Detention worse than the cave’
After initially refusing to be moved, Nina attempted to negotiate with authorities, requesting release on bail and permission to rent a house. Instead, she found herself placed in a women’s detention center near Bangalore with her two daughters, while her son was sent to a nearby orphanage, an outcome she found deeply distressing.
The conditions within the detention center, Kutina claimed, were significantly worse than anything they experienced in the cave. She alleged that staff stole their food and belongings, and even confiscated her son’s ashes, which she had kept with her.
“They (the police) claimed they were protecting us from wild animals. In reality, by putting us in that detention center, they exposed us to giant cockroaches that ran over people’s heads at night and were unavoidable,” she stated, challenging the authorities’ rationale. “They thought they were saving the children from hunger and cold. In the cave, I cooked delicious meals for them. In the detention center, my children suffered from hunger and vitamin deficiency.”
The BBC sought a response from Indian authorities regarding Kutina’s allegations. P. Manivannan, Principal Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare for the Karnataka State Government, informed BBC Hindi, “The allegations of the Russian citizen have been noted seriously. We have asked the Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner of Tumakuru District (both high-ranking government officials in the district) to investigate the allegations and send us a report.”
Manivannan affirmed, “If the allegations are proven true, we will take immediate action to rectify them.” Separately, another official, who requested anonymity, told the BBC, “Initial investigations suggest that the allegations about stolen items are greatly exaggerated. We will await the report from the senior district officials.”
According to an Indian official who spoke with the BBC, Nina Kutina reached out to the Russian Embassy for assistance in returning to Russia. However, this process faced an unexpected delay when Dror Shlomo Goldstein, an Israeli businessman residing in Goa, filed a court petition seeking custody of Ama and Prema.
Goldstein claimed paternity of the two girls and requested that they not be sent to Russia, expressing his enduring love for them. “In recent years, it became harder to stay in touch with them. Even when I found them, they seemed distant and thought I had abandoned them before birth. But I never stopped loving them,” Goldstein wrote on social media, emphasizing his emotional connection.
Goldstein sought joint custody of the children, a request that prompted the court to mandate a DNA test. Nina Kutina, however, declined to comment on Goldstein, stating only that she had lost contact with “that person.”
Currently, Nina is residing with relatives in Moscow, beginning a new chapter. She does not plan to send her children to school, opting instead for homeschooling. She also expresses a desire to continue her wanderings through forests with her daughters and explore various other locations in the future, seeking new adventures. Nevertheless, she still faces the considerable task of processing new documents.
Additional reporting by Imran Qureshi.
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Summary
Nina Kutina and her two young daughters were discovered living in a cave in Gokarna Forest, India, in July, and were subsequently repatriated to Moscow in September 2025. Kutina stated she sought refuge there for nine months following the tragic death of her eldest son in a traffic accident in September 2024. A seasoned traveler with a nature-centric lifestyle, she also desired a simple, natural upbringing for her daughters away from urban life. She had transformed the cave into a comfortable home, previously living in forests for about a decade, and maintained a vegetarian diet for her family.
Indian police located the family due to Kutina’s expired immigration documents, citing unsafe cave conditions, which she disputed. After initial refusal, she and her daughters were moved to a detention center, with her son sent to an orphanage; Kutina alleged dire conditions and theft there, which Indian authorities are investigating. Their repatriation was complicated by an Israeli businessman’s paternity claim and custody request for the daughters, requiring a DNA test. Currently in Moscow, Nina plans to homeschool her children and hopes to continue their nomadic lifestyle, while also processing new documents.