Liubov Rozhanska was detained in Astana on October 1, with Ukrainian officials working to prevent her extradition to Russia.
Key facts
- •Liubov Rozhanska was detained in Astana on October 1.
- •Russian authorities charged Rozhanska with attempted child abduction in 2023.
- •A Kaliningrad court issued a detention order and extradition request in late August.
- •The Supreme Court of Ukraine ruled in March 2025 that the child in question should reside in Odesa.
- •Ukrainian diplomats have requested access to the detainee and are opposing the extradition.
Ukrainian citizen Liubov Rozhanska was detained in Astana, Kazakhstan, on October 1. The detention follows a 2023 criminal case opened by Russian authorities charging her with attempted child abduction, leading to an extradition request submitted by a court in Kaliningrad in late August. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested that Kazakh authorities deny the extradition and is currently working to provide consular assistance to Rozhanska.
Background of the Custody Dispute
Rozhanska was in Astana to retrieve her grandson, who had been taken to Russia by his mother in 2021. In March 2022, the mother filed to renounce Ukrainian citizenship for herself and the child, obtaining Russian citizenship instead. A subsequent ruling by the Supreme Court of Ukraine in March 2025 determined that the child’s residence should be Odesa. In July 2026, the mother’s husband and his father offered to transfer the child to Rozhanska.
Diplomatic and Legal Response
The Embassy of Ukraine in Kazakhstan has formally asked the Kazakh government not to fulfill the Russian extradition request. Ukrainian consuls have received preliminary consent to visit Rozhanska, who is being held in a pre-trial detention facility. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it is keeping the situation under special control while coordinating with the detained woman's legal representatives.
Timeline
- 2021The child's mother took the boy to Russia.
- March 2022The mother renounced Ukrainian citizenship and obtained Russian citizenship for herself and the child.
- 2023Russian authorities opened a criminal case against Rozhanska for attempted child abduction.
- March 2025The Supreme Court of Ukraine ruled that the child's residence should be Odesa.
- July 2026The mother's husband and his father offered to transfer the child to Rozhanska.
- Late AugustA court in Kaliningrad issued a detention order and extradition request for Rozhanska.
- October 1Rozhanska was detained in Astana, Kazakhstan.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by TASS (English), Ukrainska Pravda (English).
