U.S. Failing Over Adoption Laws Says Russia

The Russian Foreign Ministry criticised the United States on Thursday over what it claimed was the U.S.’ unwillingness to comply with recent legislation on international adoption.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich accused the U.S. of allegedly ignoring reports of a Virginia family’s bullying of eight-year-old Daniil Krichun, whose case is now being reviewed by Russia’s Investigative Committee.

“The many years of neglect by U.S. government authorities over what was happening to Daniel Krichun once again raises the question of the United States’ readiness to fully implement the provisions of a bilateral agreement on cooperation in the field of international adoption…and to ensure proper control over the fate of children adopted from Russia,” he said.

The Krichun case is the latest in a string of adoption scandals to have broken out between Russia and the United States. The instances of American families allegedly abusing their adopted Russian children have strained relations between the two countries, with officials calling for tougher regulation of international adoption.

Officials had urged for a regulatory law since early 2010, after an American family sent their 7-year-old son back to Russia, citing behavioral problems, in a case that marked the beginning of the adoption row.

Russian officials claim at least 19 Russian children have died following abuse by American foster parents since adoption of Russian children by Americans began in the early 1990's.

Kirchun, from Tula, was adopted by Matthew and Amy Sweeney, of Bartstow, Virgina, in 2006. He is now in the care of U.S. Social Services.