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Russia invites US to discuss crimes against 13 adopted Russian children

“At the same time, we have to state, unfortunately, that there has been no major change in the unfavourable situation regarding this problem,” Bastrykin said

MOSCOW, February 4 (Itar-Tass) – Russia’s Investigation Committee chief Alexander Bastrykin invited U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to cone to Moscow in order to discuss the investigation of the crimes committed against 13 adopted Russian children in the United States.

In his letter to Holder, Bastrykin noted that Russian investigators are investigating criminal cases concerning the violence against Russian children adopted in the United States.

The Russian Investigation Committee is investigating criminal cases involving 13 Russian children adopted in the United States: Sergei Nakonechny (Luke Alexander Evans), Nikita Khoryakov (Zakari Louis Higier), Dima Yakovlev (Harrison Chase Dmitry), Ksenia Antonova (Ksenia Mae Blanford), Yelena, Sergei, Leonid and Kristina Zhivodrov (O’Brien Yelena Maibusch, O’Brien Sergey Maibusch, O’Brien Leonid Maibusch, and O’Brien Kristina Maibusch), Danila Krichun (Daniel Alexander Sweeney), ILya Kargyntsev (Dykstra Isaac Jonathan), Anna Pochetnaya (Logan Anna Higginbotham), Ivan Skorobogatov (Craver Nathaniel Michael), and Maxim Babayev (Kaleb Maxim Traylor).

He stressed that the Investigation Committee would “appreciate it if it gets information on the position of American prosecutors on the criminal cases that are being investigated by the competent U.S. bodies with regard to the adopted Russian children as well as the measures being taken within the prosecutors’ jurisdiction to exclude violence against minors in the future.”

“Given the bilateral interest in solving these problems and the agreements reached earlier, I would like to invite you to come to the Russian Federation on a working visit at any convenient time in order to discuss the situation and possible ways to settle it,” Bastrykin said.

He recalled the meeting with Holder on May 15, 2012, during which “we both noted the problem of violence against adopted Russian children in their American families. As per agreement, the issue of child protection was defined as one of the priority areas for cooperation between the Russian Investigation Committee and the U.S. Department of Justice.

“At the same time, we have to state, unfortunately, that there has been no major change in the unfavourable situation regarding this problem,” Bastrykin said.

He expressed his gratitude for joint work and reiterated his readiness to continue cooperation.

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