Lyubov Rozhanska Detained in Kazakhstan
On October 1, 2026, Ukrainian national Lyubov Rozhanska was taken into custody in Astana, Kazakhstan. She had traveled there to collect her grandson, who was being transferred to Kazakhstan's capital from Russia. The boy, the son of Andreeva's mother, was taken to Russia in 2021. In March 2022, his mother renounced Ukrainian citizenship for both herself and the child, after which they obtained Russian citizenship.
Legal Developments and Ukraine’s Response
In March 2025, Ukraine's Supreme Court ruled that the boy's place of residence is Odessa. By July 2026, the boy's mother's new husband and his father offered Rozhanska custody of the child. However, since 2023, Rozhanska has been facing criminal charges in Russia related to an attempted child abduction. At the end of August 2026, a court in Kaliningrad ordered her detention and submitted an extradition request to Kazakhstan.
Following her arrest, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs promptly called on Kazakh authorities to reject Russia’s extradition demand.
"Immediately upon learning about the detention of our citizen upon arrival in Astana, the Ukrainian Embassy in Kazakhstan urgently requested the Kazakh side to deny Russia’s extradition request," the MFA stated.
Ukrainian consular officials have also secured preliminary approval to visit Rozhanska, who is currently held in a detention center.
"We hope for a fair examination of the circumstances by Kazakhstan and are actively working to protect the detained citizen's legal rights and interests. The MFA, Consular Service Department, and the Ukrainian Embassy in Kazakhstan are closely monitoring the situation," the Ministry added.
The case remains tense as Ukrainian diplomats maintain communication with Rozhanska’s legal representatives, providing support to safeguard her rights.
This incident highlights complex international legal challenges surrounding citizenship and child custody disputes, which frequently become points of contention between nations. Rozhanska’s detention, connected to her efforts to bring her grandson back to Ukraine, underscores the strained relations between Ukraine and Russia and the difficulties faced by families divided by borders. Ukraine’s diplomatic interventions could be pivotal in shaping the case's outcome and ensuring the protection of the detained woman’s rights.