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| Russians march in support of ban on adoptions in US | Russians march in support of ban on adoptions in US |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Thousands of people have marched through Moscow to support a ban on adoptions of Russian children by Americans. | Thousands of people have marched through Moscow to support a ban on adoptions of Russian children by Americans. |
| Carrying signs with slogans including "Children are our future" and "America – hands off our children", activists mixed bitter criticism of the United States with calls for improvements in Russia's own care system. | Carrying signs with slogans including "Children are our future" and "America – hands off our children", activists mixed bitter criticism of the United States with calls for improvements in Russia's own care system. |
| "These children are ours. We shouldn't give them away," said Natalya Bakhinova, 56, walking in one of two columns led by marching bands that converged in Moscow's Pushkin Square on Saturday. | "These children are ours. We shouldn't give them away," said Natalya Bakhinova, 56, walking in one of two columns led by marching bands that converged in Moscow's Pushkin Square on Saturday. |
| Police said 12,000 people joined the rally, which was inspired by the government's announcement of an adoption ban. Organisers denied that marchers were coerced or paid to attend. | Police said 12,000 people joined the rally, which was inspired by the government's announcement of an adoption ban. Organisers denied that marchers were coerced or paid to attend. |
| The death of the Russian-born three-year-old Max Shatto – who died in January in Texas, where his adoptive parents live – was the impetus for the ban, although courts ruled his death was an accident. | The death of the Russian-born three-year-old Max Shatto – who died in January in Texas, where his adoptive parents live – was the impetus for the ban, although courts ruled his death was an accident. |
| US and Russian relations have been strained by uprisings in Libya and Syria and Vladimir Putin's charges of US meddling and his treatment of opponents since he returned to Russia's presidency last May. | US and Russian relations have been strained by uprisings in Libya and Syria and Vladimir Putin's charges of US meddling and his treatment of opponents since he returned to Russia's presidency last May. |
| Activists on Saturday called for Max Shatto's younger brother Kris to be taken from the family and returned to Russia. | Activists on Saturday called for Max Shatto's younger brother Kris to be taken from the family and returned to Russia. |
| A few held photos of Max Shatto, bearing his Russian name Maxim Kuzmin, and of other Russian-born children who have died in the care of their adoptive American parents. | A few held photos of Max Shatto, bearing his Russian name Maxim Kuzmin, and of other Russian-born children who have died in the care of their adoptive American parents. |
| "We gave away something that is ours, and we need to take it back," said one demonstrator, Alexei Dobrenkov, 40. | "We gave away something that is ours, and we need to take it back," said one demonstrator, Alexei Dobrenkov, 40. |
| Some Russian officials have suggested Max Shatto died as a result of abuse and lawmakers appealed to US Congress last month to help return Kris, born Kirill Kuzmin, to Russia. | Some Russian officials have suggested Max Shatto died as a result of abuse and lawmakers appealed to US Congress last month to help return Kris, born Kirill Kuzmin, to Russia. |
| Texas authorities ruled the death an accident on Friday, saying he died from a torn abdominal artery and had bruises consistent with injuring himself. | Texas authorities ruled the death an accident on Friday, saying he died from a torn abdominal artery and had bruises consistent with injuring himself. |
| The US authorities said investigations into allegations of child abuse and neglect would continue and the priority was to ensure the safety of Kris Shatto, who remained in the adoptive family's home in Gardendale, Texas. | The US authorities said investigations into allegations of child abuse and neglect would continue and the priority was to ensure the safety of Kris Shatto, who remained in the adoptive family's home in Gardendale, Texas. |
| A Russian foreign ministry statement on Saturday expressed "concern" about the Texas authorities' findings and said it assumed they were only preliminary. | A Russian foreign ministry statement on Saturday expressed "concern" about the Texas authorities' findings and said it assumed they were only preliminary. |
| Demonstrators in Moscow echoed the official sentiment. "That's nonsense – there is no way he could have killed himself," said Sergei, 57, who would not give his last name. "Too many of our children have died in America." | Demonstrators in Moscow echoed the official sentiment. "That's nonsense – there is no way he could have killed himself," said Sergei, 57, who would not give his last name. "Too many of our children have died in America." |
| Russian officials say there have been at least 20 such deaths in two decades and that US authorities have been too lenient on the parents. | Russian officials say there have been at least 20 such deaths in two decades and that US authorities have been too lenient on the parents. |
| There are more than 650,000 orphans in Russia, and 110,000 of them lived in state institutions in 2011. There were about 7,400 adoptions by Russian families in 2011, and 3,400 adoptions by families abroad. | There are more than 650,000 orphans in Russia, and 110,000 of them lived in state institutions in 2011. There were about 7,400 adoptions by Russian families in 2011, and 3,400 adoptions by families abroad. |
| Americans have adopted more than 60,000 Russian children since the end of the Soviet Union in 1991, but now only a few dozen children whose adoptions were approved before 1 January will be able to go. | Americans have adopted more than 60,000 Russian children since the end of the Soviet Union in 1991, but now only a few dozen children whose adoptions were approved before 1 January will be able to go. |
| Russia added the adoption ban on to legislation it passed in December in response to the US Magnitsky Act, which bars Russians linked to the 2009 death of an anti-corruption lawyer and other alleged rights abuses from entering the United States. | Russia added the adoption ban on to legislation it passed in December in response to the US Magnitsky Act, which bars Russians linked to the 2009 death of an anti-corruption lawyer and other alleged rights abuses from entering the United States. |
| In January, tens of thousands of Russians, some labelling Putin a "child-killer", protested against the adoption ban at a rally in Moscow in January billed as a "march against scoundrels". | In January, tens of thousands of Russians, some labelling Putin a "child-killer", protested against the adoption ban at a rally in Moscow in January billed as a "march against scoundrels". |
| Putin, who has stepped up efforts to instil patriotism during his new six-year term, has suggested the ban is justified because Russia should take care of its own children, and has ordered improvements to care for orphans. | Putin, who has stepped up efforts to instil patriotism during his new six-year term, has suggested the ban is justified because Russia should take care of its own children, and has ordered improvements to care for orphans. |
| Critics say the Russian system is plagued by neglect and instances of abuse, and accuse the Kremlin and lawmakers of using particularly vulnerable children as political pawns. | Critics say the Russian system is plagued by neglect and instances of abuse, and accuse the Kremlin and lawmakers of using particularly vulnerable children as political pawns. |
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