The title of this piece and the body do not match! The title suggests the United States has suspended adoption of Russian children but the body of the pieces suggests that it’s the Russian Federatiion that is suspending the adoption of Russian children. For those of us, the Friends of Russia, those of us who love Russia for its heroic history, deep and rich culture and profound humanity, we are disappointed and shocked by this case and similar cases of mistreatment of Russian children adopted in foreign countries. We want to see quick action that not only permanently blocks adoption of Russian children in foreign countries, we also want to see immediate updating of adoption laws within Russia so that Russian families willing and able to adopt Russian children can adopt them. This case brought so much pain to all of us and it also brought profound shame and humiliation to Russia. In the future, the Russian Federation must secure and protect the most precious segment of the society: children.

So Russia will continue to warehouse children, and Americans will adopt children from nations without such restrictions. Sounds like a win for everyone, but the children warehoused in Russian orphanages. Most US adoptions provide opportunities most orphans would never see. Very few children die in US hands. How many die in orphanages ?

Well overdue. well Alexandra let Americans kill other nationalities children who do not care on how they are treated abroad.The Russians seem to care.

children are not similar to other Russian commodities such as gas, oil, diamonds, timber, etc. Russia has series demographic challenges and the American families are adopting primarily ‘Slavic looking’ children from Russia. This pattern should concern the Russian authorities and Russian society in general. If should bilateral deal is signed between Russia and the U.S, it should also include Russia’s ability to adopt American children. The U.S economy is facing new challenges and it should be possible for Russia to American children. At present, African American children face the worst adoption prospects in the U.S. many of these children are adopted in Canada and increasingly in other countries. This is pressing and important issue and Russia needs to face the politics of adopting Russian children in foreign countries. Since 1991, 60 thousands Russian children have been adopted in the U.S. That is 60 thousand less future citizens of Russia. Siberia is the heart of Russia's energy and other industry, investment must be dedicated to make the lives of those who live in this part of the country better. I am deeply angered by this sad story because I love Russia so much. Please end this sad and destructive practice and keep Russia children inside the country and protect them from harm. How shameful the victorious people who won so many great battles are now losing their children to foreign adoption. Alexandra, the term ‘warehousing children in Russia’ is telling! Do you mean Russia has nothing culturally useful to give to its orphaned kids than put them in warehouses/read orphanages? The U.S has millions of children who need homes but adoption Russian children in the U.S is as much about demographics of the colour line as compassion for these children. It is treason against the great nation of Russia to allow its children to be taken out of their culture, language and tradition. http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100415/158593930.html

There is something terribly wrong about this government policy of adoptions. Why do our government let the foreighners to adopt our children so easy and take them away from our motherland ? If I would be in the Russian government, I would propose the establishment of children centers all accros the Russian Federation, so our children and orphans could get 101% free education, free food, free shelter, free health care, proffesional social workers and their step parents...etc. And when they would grow up, I would send them to schools and universities...so later they could become soldiers, workers, nurses, car mechanics, computer programers and IT specialists, doctors, scientists... Adoption policy for foreighners must be terminated and closed in Russia !

Why we in the States should spend money and other resources on mistreated children of Russia- isn't it a RESPONSIBILITY of Russia to take care of it own children. We understand that the economic situation in Russia is tragic and beyond repare but it is not our problem.

mcc April 15, 2010, 20:05 "Why we in the States should spend money and other resources on mistreated children of Russia- isn't it a RESPONSIBILITY of Russia to take care of it own children. We understand that the economic situation in Russia is tragic and beyond repare but it is not our problem." Mcc I can sense the Cold War rhetoric in your language that U.S adoption of Russian children has certain prestige and Cold War triumphalism to it but Russia deserves all the insults its getting from angry Americans even when such anger is motivated by false superiority and profound ignorance of Russia economic might.

Hello all RT Readers, This "Woman" who did this should be prosecuted for child abandonment in my opinion. It is an isolated event.. the woman was a bad mother obviously too. I personally know a man and wife who have adopted EIGHT children from Russia! They are ALL loved and well taken care of! He even bought a SCHOOL BUS so he can drive them all to the various schools they attend. Some are even in expensive PRIVATE SCHOOLS! It is a common mistake to make.. "lumping all potatoes into one pot".. and getting the "impression" that ALL Americans do this to the adopted children. Of course, this type of thinking is VERY flawed. The suspensions stopped ALL adoptions, and now there many sad expectant adopting parents whose hearts are broken. And those children would have been loved and well cared for.. I DO THINK the process of adoption, or the "treaty" does need to have more well written language in it, so that something like this does not happen again. Imagine what a horrible example this set to other nations? And how world perception of Americans was smeared by this one single womans uncaring deed! A terrible shame, and she gives women a bad name for what she did. I still am surprised that the child protection authorites in the USA, have not tried to charge her some sort of crime here. If I had done this to one of my natural children, sent my child to an airport, without a gaurdian, and a terrible note attached, I can assure you, the police would be visiting me! And they would most likely take my child away from me. So, please readjust your thinking my dear friends in Russia... NOT all in the USA do such terrible things,. This was ONE woman, who did a bad thing. And of course, it was SO BAD, it made international news wires! And NOW, the terrible misperceptions begin, and lumping all potatoes into one pot syndrome begins.. It is flawed thinking.. Pravdaseeker

There are several problems involved in the adoption and foster care system, and not just with the Russian adoptions: 1. A lack of understanding and poor attitude about mental illness in children ( and elderly people ) 2. Financial and managerial problems in social services and disability services ( even in the richest places ) 3. Bad parenting skills and attitudes, mixed with cultural and social misunderstanding ( like in rural communities, like Tennessee ). 4. Lack of fair-yet-firm parenting, a balance of love and discipline. PARENTING ISN'T FOR COWARDS! Finally, I support two Christian organisations that give financial support to orphanages in Russia.

America has a huge number of Black and Latino babies waiting adoption. Why is it that these white Americans won't adopt Black and Latino babies who are Americans? Why must they run to Russia to adopt Russian babies? I suspect what we are seeing in this adoption phenomenon is true face of American racism: "I want a white baby" is the rallying cry of the American racists. America should preach less to other nations about racism.

Please leave 'Cold War retorics' in the past. The reality is that Russia is uncapable of taking care of its best commodity - its future generation - take care of this most tragic problem in Russia before it is too late.

Good news! Little Artyom has been adopted by a new foster family in Russia! Still, we want to see an end to foreign adoption of Russian children and updating of Russian laws to make Russian families wanting to adopt orphaned Russian children much easier for them to do and end to the red tapes and roadblocks to Russian adoption of Russian children. We also want to see updated Russian laws pertaining to the protection of children including measure against child abandonment, child abuse, child neglect and the overall welfare of Russian children. We expect the Russian Federation and local governments to work closely in order to protect Russian children wherever they may be. http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100416/158614242.html

Kihnu you are naming the ugly and nameable subtext to U.S obsession of adopting Eastern European and Russian ‘white children’ despite availability of millions of black and Latino babies in the United States. It is as much about demographic politics of the Colour Line. This is clear to all of us. What we want to know is why has Russia's authorities have tolerated the easy adoption of Russian children oversees while failing to ease draconian laws which undermine Russian families ability to adopt Russian children inside Russia. Many black American kids from the U.S are adopted in Canada and Europe by white families and African Americans prefer their children being adopted by Canadians and Europeans because these Canadian and European families accept open adoption and do not cut off these kids from their families and culture. RT can do good documentary on this topic.

The Russians are a compassionate people, but they generally limit their adoptions to within the family circle - or, from close friends. Average Russian family has a hard life. They live in a small apartment, the husband may work at a menial job and the family may be burdened with alcoholism either at home or among close relatives. Such a situation is not conducive to adopting children from outside the family circle. Most Russians also feel that adopting children from outside the family circle is adopting outside problems into the family if the child had alcoholic or drug addicted parents. Americans, especially whites, are a peculiar people who seems to think that they are endowed with the right to have a "perfect baby". If their baby has a defect at birth, they immediately run to their lawyer and file case against the doctor. The malpractice insurance for an American pediatrician is extremely expensive. Thus, Americans run to Russia to adopt the "perfect child of their dreams". If their "perfect child" turns out to be not so perfect, some Americans will become extremely frustrated and this can lead to problems for the adopted child. This American woman will probably look for another "perfect child" to adopt.

Kihnu, adoption of children is a dynamic process. Also in the United States, as in another country, it is not poor or the working class who adopt children. So your reference to the average Russian family is living a hard life needs to be placed in a context. Russia’s problem is as much of legal, moral and economic corruption where the country is now home to more billionars than the rest of the world combined by its childrenof have become easy prey to foreign adoption, neglect, and abuse. This was not always the case in Russia. here I bring two films both located in WWII era both dealing with the impact of WWII on the Russian families. One of them, The title is One’s Man’s Destiny, is closer to a true story. This is film about a Russian soldier who after being captured by the Nazis as POW ended in hard labour camp and escapes. But in Russia, his entire family has been killed including his last hope: his young military officer son. But this man’s life ends in hopeful note when he adopts little boy who claims he is his lost father. The boy and the man both know this is not true but they did not bother to spoil this beautiful and hopeful dream. The other is based on Soviet time TV series called Meeting Places must not Be Changed. I think this is the name. There is a love story in this drama between young dashing police officer and female policeman. But their love for each other moves to the next stage of family when they have decided to adopt a little boy who was abandoned. The current nihilism in Russia has started with the collapse of the Soviet System and the current political elite have failed to restore the wellbeing of the Russian people. So, the current exudes of Russia’s babies to foreign countries is painful and dangerous. There must be enough people who love Russia inside and outside the country to who can bring enough pressure to the Russian Federation to force the authorities to end foreign adoption of Russian children

American adoption agencies are privately ran and for the most part self-regulated. Their fees, post placement reports, etc., have no standardization. I worked as a translator for one but would never step foot in one again. The Social Workers who write the home study report on the adoptive parent(s) are not even licensed and are "contract" workers who get paid by the agency on the completion of the home study. They are taught to write a home study by the agency, they are not taught this in school. Adoptions are a big business, the agency I worked for had gross revenue of over $2 million a year, she drove a new luxury vehicle and the Russian facilitator drove a top of the line Mercedes. WACAP who conducted the adoption of Artem/Justin grossed over $4 million on their 2008 990 IRS tax returns which can be viewed for free at www.guidestar.com. The executive directors are normally the "owner" of the agency, The director of WACAP is Lillian Thoreson who has a yearly salarly of $95,000. Since when do any of these businesses care about the children of Russia? They deal overseas because there is much more scrunity on Domestic Adoptions. International Adoption has a lot of grey areas where bribes are high and poor people that are desperate are even higher. Americans have over 130,000 paper ready in the US Foster Care system ready to adopt. www.adoptuskids.org. Lastly, I am a bit bewildered why US State officials are going to Russia to negiotiate the current adoption issues for private American Adoption agencies. Why are our tax dollars spent to help out private businesses that have their own trade organizations that could represent them? JCICS and National Council of Adoption - America the land of Capitalism and human trafficking.

Thank you Sveltana for these valuable links and your well informed insights. It is clear to all of us that corruption and bribery are playing roles in the mass trafficking of Russian children to foreign countries and to the U.S in particular. I do agree with you it is interesting that the U.S foreign affairs Department desire to help the smooth flow of Russian children from Russia to the United States. I cannot explain the reason for this but we also know the Washington consensus on supposed pending of "demographic collapse" of Russia! What is harder for swallow for those of us who care about Russia is extent to which Russia’s leadership at the top has given blind eye to the mass transfer of Russian children to foreign countries. Our hope is the sad case of little Artyom will put an end to all that.

There is no urgent need for “U.S/Russia” summit on the adoption of Russian children in the U.S! for goodness sake- Russian authorities need to end this shameful practice by acting on new guideline on the care and the protection of Russian children! Why not send Russian mission to the U.S and explore why black and Latino kids are waiting adoptive parents for years whilst the U.S white middle class parents are looking for ‘white’/Slavic’ looking kids in Russia. Volcanic or no volcanic ashes, this is highly damaging and offensive to Russia. Do Russians have any idea how the world views Russia because of its failure to protect its children? http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100419/158653321.html

I believe the time has arrive when Russia will no longer ship their babies and children overseas.