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Russia's Supreme Court Upholds Father's Custody of Daughter in Disputed Case
WHY IT MATTERS
This ruling highlights concerns about the use of international law to justify the removal of children from their mothers in disputed custody cases, particularly in the context of Russia's ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
What happened
Russia's Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a Russian father, Alexey Yermakov, allowing him to keep his daughter, Veronika, in Russia despite her mother's efforts to have her returned to France. The court cited France's 'unfriendly' status and NATO membership as reasons for its decision. The case began when Yermakov's former wife, a Ukrainian citizen, moved to France with their daughter after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Yermakov took legal action in both Ukraine and France, eventually taking the child to Russia without permission. A lower court initially ordered Yermakov to return the child to France under the Hague Convention, but the Supreme Court overturned this decision.
The court found that the child had adjusted to life in Russia and that moving to France could cause her harm. The ruling is now under review by the Supreme Court's Presidium.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Russia’s Supreme Court allows father to keep daughter taken to Russia without permission, citing France’s ‘unfriendly’ status and NATO membership
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