Thursday - September 04, 2008

11 year old Brit citizen and mom trapped in Russia.  From Russia with love?

what sort of creep uses a kid to get even with an ex wife?  Lower then whale poo. I know ppl do this sort of thing a lot and I think it’s despicable. He cares nothing for the child or what angst she must feel.  Mom may have made a mistake re. the passport. But that shouldn’t be used as a club to legally batter her and her daughter.  I’ve heard the expression, it takes all kinds. The question is, Why?

HAMPSHIRE CHRONICLE
by Laura Downton

AN 11-year-old schoolgirl from Kings Worthy is currently “trapped” in Russia after her father made a legal order to stop her from returning home.

Victoria Osborne, a former Kings Worthy Primary School pupil, who speaks little Russian, went on holiday with her mother, Tatiana, to visit her grandmother in Saratov during the summer break.

(Kings Worthy is a village about 2 miles from us.  So far it’s a local story. )

She was due to return to her Ilex Close home last Thursday, and start a new phase of her life at secondary school.

But when she arrived at the airport in Moscow, she was stopped from taking the flight by Russian authorities, according to her stepfather, Dr Patrick Osborne.

Without any warning her biological father, Yuri Gladkikh - who Dr Osborne said has played no part in her life for eight years - imposed a restriction that banned her from leaving the country for the next seven years.

Her devastated mother was told she was free to go, but had to leave her daughter behind. She refused, and remains in Russia too.

Now Dr Osborne is fighting to bring the pair home.

The situation has arisen because the law in Russia allows divorced parents to block the movements of their children out of the country at any time until they are 18.

Although Victoria, known by friends as Vicka’, and Tatiana, are British citizens, they entered Russia on their Russian passports, and are therefore subject to Russian law.

Tatiana, who is ironically undertaking research at Birmingham University to improve cultural understanding between Britain and Russia, said: “Had we known about the imposition of this restriction we would never have gone to Russia this summer.”

The mother and daughter have returned to Saratov to stay with Victoria’s grandmother while they try to resolve the situation. The only way they can return home is if Mr Gladkikh withdraws the restriction keeping her there, or if it is overturned by a court.

Dr Osborne says he is desperately trying to co-ordinate negotiations with the man to let Victoria go.

He said: “It won’t be easy, but we are determined to help Vicka through this and to get our family back together.

“She’s increasingly distressed and it’s going to get harder and harder the longer it goes on for her.

“It is unbelievable that any parent, however far-removed from daily upbringing, would deny his child the right to a good education, access to her home, and friends.”

The 52-year-old said he and Victoria have been like any “normal father and daughter” since he married Tatiana five years ago.

Tatiana, 34, separated from Victoria’s father about eight years ago.

Dr Osborne added: “Initially it was just the overall worry that you don’t know what’s going on - it’s a feeling of not being able to help your family.

“Now I know they’re physically safe and healthy, so it’s the long-term things that worry me.

“It’s very difficult being away from Tatiana. At a time like this the person that could best comfort you is your wife, but she’s not here. My friends and family have been brilliant with their support though.

“The law exists probably for good reason so parents can see their children, but it can be abused, and I think that’s what we have now.”

Vicka, who has been wholly educated in Britain, was due to start at The Westgate School today (Thursday) after excelling in her SATS exams earlier this year.

Dr Osborne is hoping the school will send work via e-mail so that she can still be educated over the Internet.

Dr Osborne said Vicka told him on the phone: “All I want to do is be back with my friends and go to school.

“I cannot speak Russian well enough to go to school here, and they do different stuff from us.”

Vicka’s former headteacher at Kings Worthy Primary School, Stash Kozlowski, said it would be an “absolute shame” if the schoolgirl could not return to her education in the UK.

He added: “She’s a lovely girl, hardworking, mature and she had lots of friends. She settled in well, I’m shocked.”

Dr Osborne has not yet taken the matter to the Russian Embassy in the UK, but he is in contact with the British Embassy in Russia, who he said are powerless as Vicka is in Russia under a Russian passport and therefore under Russian law.

http://tinyurl.com/6y7pf8

Posted by Drew458     on 09/04/2008 at 11:50 AM   
Filed Under: • International • Miscellaneous •  
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