President Vladimir Putin signed a law yesterday that bans Americans from adopting Russian children and imposes other sanctions in retaliation for a new US human rights law he says is poisoning relations.
The law, which has ignited outrage among Russian liberals and children’s rights advocates, takes effect on January 1st. Washington said the law ties the fate of children to “unrelated political considerations”. It is likely to deepen a chill in US-Russian relations and deal a blow to Putin’s image abroad.
Fifty-two children whose adoptions by Americans were under way will remain in Russia, Russia’s child rights commissioner said.