Accessibility links

Breaking News

RFE/RL Spotlight: Passions At Play In Russia's Adoption Debate


Local Texas newspapers describe furor over death of Russian adoptee Max Shatto
Local Texas newspapers describe furor over death of Russian adoptee Max Shatto
The death last month of 3-year old adoptee Max Shatto, or Maksim Kuzmin as he is known in Russia, has again put international adoptions at the forefront of U.S.-Russian relations. RFE/RL's original coverage on this issue -- from the adoption ban Russia enacted at the end of 2012 to diplomatic measures in place today - has been timely, balanced and personal.

# Correspondent Richard Solash visits the small town of Gardendale, Texas, home of the Shatto family. While much remains a mystery about little Max's death, local officials now say a medical ruling on the boy’s death is imminent, as details about the day the child died, as well as accounts of his adoptive mother, begin trickling in.

# Russia's children’s rights ombudsman, Pavel Astakhov, loves the limelight. And he has been getting a lot of it in recent weeks after claiming his office was busy looking for evidence of crimes against Russian adoptees. Correspondent Robert Coalson has the story.

# Andrei Razin, the man who brought Russia the boy band Laskovy Mai (Tender May), has joined the political fray with the ruling United Russia Party. He is seemingly there for one reason: to advocate for Russia’s hundreds of thousands of orphans.

# Statistics surrounding the adoption debate show that U.S. adoptions from abroad are in decline, but that generally speaking, adoptive parents rarely abuse the children they take in.

Follow all of RFE/RL's breaking news online and on Twitter and Facebook.
XS
SM
MD
LG