Foreigners adopt Ukrainian children not actively

The number of Ukrainian orphans adopted by citizens of foreign countries, despite predictions, has not increased after Russia adopted a law banning international adoption, President's Commissioner for Children's Rights Yuri Pavlenko told a briefing.

"Despite a large number of statements that certain processes in Russia will influence an increase in the number of adoptions in Ukraine, as we predicted at the end of last year, this did not happen and is not happening," Pavlenko said.

According to him, in the first quarter of 2013 foreigners adopted almost as many children as in the same period in 2012. In particular, the figure in 2013 was 167 children, compared to 201 children in 2012.

However, Pavlenko said that the number of children adopted by Ukrainians and accommodated in family-type homes had increased in Ukraine. "A total of 518 children were accommodated in foster families and family-type homes in the first quarter [in 2013], compared to 450 children last year. Ukrainian citizens adopted 397 children, which was slightly less than last year," he said.