Missing Soldier's Mother Seeks to Strip Daughter-in-Law of Parental Rights
The mother of a missing soldier appeared on the show to seek the removal of her daughter-in-law«s parental rights.
Elena Maltseva from the Rostovsky District of the Yaroslavl Region became a participant in the show «Men/Women» on Channel One Russia. She is the mother of a soldier who went missing in the special military operation. Elena has been raising her six-year-old granddaughter for two years and wants her daughter-in-law Lyudmila to be stripped of parental rights. She also wants to ensure that her son«s wife does not claim payments from the Ministry of Defense.
“My Son Split Up With Her”
Elena Maltseva said that she, her son Alexander, and daughter-in-law Lyudmila used to live together in a small settlement near Rostov Veliky. The young couple had a daughter, but the marriage was falling apart: according to Elena, Alexander and Lyudmila often argued. She suspected that her daughter-in-law was cheating on her son. Allegedly, the girl even ran away from home at night, leaving pillows under the blanket in her place.
Over time, the arguments became more frequent. Alexander and Lyudmila split up, but did not officially divorce. Elena«s son went to serve in the special military operation zone, and Lyudmila moved out and left her daughter with her mother-in-law.
“My son split up with her. And in order to get back on her feet, she left her [granddaughter] temporarily. And that time is still ongoing,” said Lyudmila.
Elena came to the television program to ask for assistance with her legal battle.
Lyudmila said that she is not officially registered as the girl«s guardian. But she needs the documents to avoid difficulties when enrolling her granddaughter in school or during visits to the clinic. According to Elena, the child»s mother visited her daughter only twice in two years.
Meanwhile, since breaking up with Alexander, Lyudmila has had another child. Her official husband is listed as the father, although the boy was born from her new partner, Ivan. Alexander himself went missing in the special operation zone during this time.
Yulia Baranovskaya asked a logical question: does it mean that if something happens to Alexander, then Lyudmila will receive all the payments for herself and the children?
“Yes, she has already run to the military enlistment office,” said Elena.
“To Find My Husband and Get My Child Back”
Elena«s revelations shocked the audience in the studio. It was Lyudmila»s turn to tell her version of events. When the young woman appeared in the studio, the host of the program, Yulia Baranovskaya, immediately asked her a question:
“And why did you come?”
“To find my husband and get my child back,” answered Lyudmila.
Lyudmila said that even at the stage of breaking up with her husband, she wanted her daughter to live with her, but she didn«t have the conditions in the apartment in Rostov where her uncle lives. Allegedly, there is no electricity or gas there. But over two years, Lyudmila moved in with Ivan and relocated to his mother»s apartment, where they are raising their son together.
Ivan advocated for Lyudmila«s daughter to be given to them. He said that he has experience raising children from previous marriages.
Lyudmila and her new partner are currently raising a young son together.
Meanwhile, the film crew asked the girl herself if she wanted her mother to return. At the end of the conversation, the little girl burst into tears and said she wants to live with her dad and grandmother. And her mother, according to the girl, abandoned her.
“She went to work and didn«t come back. She is bad,” the girl said.
“This Is the Most Advantageous Position”
A psychologist invited to the broadcast told Lyudmila that she had traumatized her daughter and that taking her away from her grandmother now would harm the child even more. The girl«s mother nodded understandingly, agreeing that she should resume communication with her daughter gradually.
However, host Alexander Gordon expressed confidence that Lyudmila would not try to improve her relationship with the girl. He suggested that she is only interested in potential payments from the Ministry of Defense.
“She won«t do anything. If only because if she does nothing, that»s the most advantageous position she finds herself in. She is still married. If something happens, the payments will go to her. Not only for one child, but for the second one as well. She has settled in very nicely. I believe that here we need to do everything to get them divorced — one. While his status is «missing in action.» To have her stripped of parental rights for this child — two. To have the little child registered under his real father — three. That«s what can actually be done,” said Alexander Gordon.
Lyudmila became visibly emotional while hearing her daughter describe being abandoned.
“I Was Lured by the Possibility of Buying an Apartment for the Child”
During the program, Lyudmila was repeatedly asked whether she would accept the payments if something happened to Alexander. She said that if the money is due to her, then yes.
“The only thing that lured me was the possibility of buying an apartment for the child. If they don«t give her to me, and there are no conditions there…” Lyudmila began to reason.
“If the child needs to buy an apartment, her grandmother will buy that apartment,” interrupted Yulia Baranovskaya.
At this time, Lyudmila and Ivan«s neighbors also expressed their opinion. They said that the couple often makes noise and does not look like diligent parents. They brought up Ivan»s past involvement with drugs and also talked about his relationship with alcohol.
“They go out with beer. They go for a walk with the child and with beer,” the family«s neighbors said indignantly.
Ivan stated his drug use was in the distant past and denied having problems with alcohol.
Elena Maltseva«s sister also speaks unfavorably about the man. She said that Ivan has a criminal case opened against him for theft. He long refused to disclose details, but under pressure from Yulia Baranovskaya, he confessed:
“I found a plastic card, well, and used it,” said Ivan.
Guardianship Authorities Intervened
The film crew visited the local guardianship and trusteeship department. There they said that Elena Maltseva had already applied to the prosecutor«s office to gain guardianship rights over her granddaughter. Now this issue will be decided in court.
“We assisted the grandmother in writing the statement of claim. We helped her compose it correctly. Preparations have been scheduled for the grandmother«s lawsuit regarding the restriction of rights. And we are registered as participants in the process. We will give a conclusion and support the plaintiff»s side, because the fact has indeed been established,” said Svetlana Klimina, deputy head of the guardianship and trusteeship department of the eastern municipal district of the Yaroslavl Region.
The host persistently questioned Lyudmila«s motives for wanting to regain custody.
According to her, the child«s legal representatives are the mother and father. But in this situation, it has been established that the grandmother is performing parental duties.
“Acting in the interests of the child, since it has been established that the grandmother is performing parental duties, the child is doing well. At this stage, until a procedural decision is made, we have taken on some responsibility and left the child the right to reside with the grandmother,” said Svetlana Klimina, deputy head of the guardianship and trusteeship department of the eastern municipal district of the Yaroslavl Region.
The full episode of the program can be watched here.
