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RF diplomats to meet with Finnish social service officials over Russian woman’s children

The local social service took four children away from Zavgorodnyaya, who is living in the Finnish town of Vantaa

MOSCOW, September 30 (Itar-Tass) — Russian diplomats will meet on October 1 with officials from Finland’s social services over the case of Russian citizen Anastasia Zavgorodyaya and her children, a spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

“The Russian Foreign Ministry is closely watching the development of the situation over the incident when Finland’s social police took the children away from Russian citizen Zavgorodnyaya (married name Zaki Akhmed), who is living in Finland and also has Finnish citizenship,” the spokesman said.

“We have expressed our serious concern over this case to the Finnish authorities,” the spokesman stressed. “The Russian embassy in Helsinki is in contact with Zavgorodyaya. It has offered assistance in the choice of a qualified lawyer.”

“On October 1, Russian diplomats will meet with officials from Finland’s social services that are in charge of that case,” the spokesman informed.

The local social service took four children away from Zavgorodnyaya, who is living in the Finnish town of Vantaa. At first, the elder girl (6 years old) and the twins (2-year old) were taken away following her teacher’s report. Later, the newborn daughter (10 days old) was taken away. Their mother is not allowed to communicate with the child or breastfeed her.

According to available information, the children were put in an orphanage and then immediately transferred to a foster family, following “the elder girl’s complaint that her dad had slapped her”.

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