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Pskov prosecutors ask to overturn Kirill Kuzmin adoption ruling

The Pskov prosecutors asked to hand over Kirill to guardianship bodies for deciding on his adoption by a Russian family or returning him to his mother

MOSCOW, February 21 (Itar-Tass) - The Pskov region prosecutor's office has asked the court to overturn the ruling on the adoption of Kirill Kuzmin by a U.S. family, an official at the Prosecutor General's Office /PGO/ told Itar-Tass on Thursday.

"The Pskov region prosecutor's office filed a statement of claim with the regional court to U.S. citizens, the Shatto couple. It seeks to overturn the ruling on the adoption of Kirill Kuzmin from the Pechora orphanage by Texas residents Allan and Lora Shatto," the PGO said, adding that "according to the available information, Kirill's presence in a foster family can threaten his life and health."

The Pskov prosecutors asked to hand over Kirill to guardianship bodies for deciding on his adoption by a Russian family or returning him to his mother.

Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Education and Science drew a resolution to suspend the office of a foreign child adoption agency which arranged taking brothers Maxim and Kirill by a U.S. foster family.

"The resolution will be signed within the next two days," deputy director of the Ministry's department for state children protection policy Vladimir Kabanov told lawmakers at a meeting of the parliament committee for family, women and children, "the official reason behind the move is the delay in passing the information on the death of Maxim Kuzmin, 3, in a U.S. foster family."

Maxim Kuzmin whose name was changed to Max Alan, and his two-year-old brother Kirill /Christopher Elvin/ were adopted from the Pechora orphanage in the Pskov region late last year. A court sanctioned their adoption in October 2012, well before the Russian parliament passed the adoption ban.

The children arrived in the United States in December - early January. Maxim was killed on January 21. According to Russian investigators, the child was beaten before his death. Also, he had been given psychedelic drugs. The American authorities are investigating the case; the results of the forensic examination are unavailable yet.

Russia's Investigative Committee opened a criminal case over the child's murder and plans to petition for arrest of Maxim's foster mother in absentia.

On February 18, Pskov region governor Andrei Turchak said all the adoption procedures in the region had been suspended pending the establishment of special commission for adoption.

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