Adoption of Russian children by foreigners is a fairly contentious issue in Russia.  Many Russians feel that Russian children should stay in Russia.  One State Duma (parliament) deputy bluntly said: "Why should those orphan children live in wonderful America while my children have to live here?"  I have heard Russians say that foreigners are only interested in adopting Russian children to obtain body parts for transplants.

The conditions in Russian orphanages are abysmal, and children are often abused, malnourished and/or sick (see human rights section on children and orphanages).  Adopting a child from a Russian orphanage can be a risk, and potential parents should be prepared to deal with unexpected issues (children who appear healthy may later show consequences of the mother's use of drugs or alcohol, for instance).  None of this is to discourage potential adoptive parents, but they should be aware that children adopted from the unfortunate conditions in Russia's orphanages are likely to require an extra measure of understanding on the part of the new parents.  That said, little could be worse for a child than remaining in a Russian orphanage.

theRussiaSite.org has provided these links both for those interested in adopting a child in Russia and for those interesting in studying Russian adoption issues.  Links to other sites should not be considered an endorsement of those sites.

Other resources on adoption:

Adoption Agencies Working in Russia

Links to Fact Sheets and Studies of Adoption in Russia