Situation with orphans in Russia is more important than debate on foreign adoptions – Putin

NOVO-OGARYOVO. Feb 20 (Interfax) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said the living conditions of orphans in Russia are much more important than the current debate on adoptions.

“We are now actively discussing the work with foreign adoptions, which is, of course, an important thing, but not the main thing. What is more important is the way children, who have been left without parental care, and orphans are raised,” Putin said during a meeting with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets addressing the issue.

Putin said the issue of foreign adoptions affects “several hundreds of children” and the number of orphans and children left without parental care in Russia “is, unfortunately, in the thousands.”

In this regard, Putin suggested that Golodets discuss the fulfillment by the government of the presidential decree on the solution of the problems of orphans in Russia.