The Foreign Ministry said Sunday that it was "seriously concerned" over the seizure by local authorities of four children from a Russian citizen living in Finland.
In a statement posted on its website, the ministry said it was monitoring the situation closely and that embassy officials would meet with Finnish social services in Helsinki on Monday.
The statement follows reports in Russian media that Finnish police moved to seize the children after Anastasia Zavgorodnyaya's 6-year-old daughter told schoolteachers that her father had smacked her on the rear for behaving badly.
All four children, including Zavgorodnyaya's youngest, who was seized Friday and is less than a week old, are apparently living in foster care until social services complete a check into the incident.
Speaking to Channel One on Saturday, Zavgorodnyaya said her children were in a bad state and that she would permanently return to Russia after regaining custody of her children.
RIA-Novosti reported that since a 2008 law entered force, Finnish authorities have tended to seize children from parents suspected of abuse at an early stage of the investigation, conducting more thorough checks once the children are in temporary care.
Related articles:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
