10. Adoption Bridges
Since the 1990s, tens of thousands of Russian children have been adopted into American families, creating unique familial bonds between the two nations. Between 1992 and 2012, over 60,000 Russian children were adopted by American families. However, in 2012, Russia enacted the Dima Yakovlev Law, banning U.S. citizens from adopting Russian children. This policy shift has significantly impacted international adoptions, with the number of Russian children adopted by Americans declining sharply in subsequent years (theguardian.com). These personal stories testify to ongoing connections and the evolving nature of international adoption policies.
