Gleb Savchenko files urgent custody petition against ex for daughters

Gleb Savchenko has filed an emergency child custody request alleging that his ex-wife Elena Samodanova kept their daughters in Hong Kong without his permission and refused to return to the United States after what he says was meant to be a temporary move.

In the filing, Savchenko claims Samodanova remained in Hong Kong after their 2023 divorce despite an agreement to return.

"Instead, she has remained in Hong Kong, obtained permanent Hong Kong residency, enrolled the children in an expensive private school, got the children a cat, became engaged, and had another child with her fiancé," he alleged.

He added, "Elena has essentially established her life with her fiancé and our children, in Hong Kong, without my permission that they remain with her in Hong Kong."

Savchenko also claimed he has had to travel to Hong Kong every year to spend time with his daughters.

"This has functionally forced me to travel to Hong Kong each year to visit the children, which I have consistently done despite Elena's efforts taken to drastically limit my access to our daughters."

According to the filing, the former couple has been ordered to attend custody mediation on August 5.

He continued, "Olivia has expressed unequivocally, that she does not want to return to Hong Kong nor has any desire to live with her mother."

The dancer also expressed concern that sending Olivia back could result in what he described as "international wrongful retention/abduction."

Samodanova has denied the allegations. In a statement to TMZ, she said:

"The statement from Mr. Savchenko's attorney misrepresents our family's reality. As Olivia's primary caregiver, I have raised her every day while Gleb worked full-time on DWTS."

She added: "Today, Olivia thrives in Hong Kong. She attends a top school and is an elite ballroom dancer."

She further claimed: "Olivia was scheduled to return to Hong Kong on June 5th, but her father wrongfully canceled her ticket without my permission. This is a wrongful international retention."

Calling his legal filing a rushed move, Samodanova concluded:

"I am asking the court to halt temporary orders and grant a continuance so my counsel can present Olivia's permanent records through the correct legal channels."