DWTS Pro Gleb Savchenko Claims He Has 'Hard Proof' in Emergency Custody Battle Over Daughters' Relocation to Hong Kong and Russia

Gleb Savchenko filed an emergency custody order claiming his ex-wife took their daughters to Hong Kong; she says Hong Kong is their permanent home.

Dancing with the Stars professional dancer Gleb Savchenko has filed an emergency child custody order in Los Angeles, alleging his ex-wife Elena Samodanova abducted their daughters and relocated them — claims Samodanova firmly disputes. Savchenko, 42, filed the legal request seeking emergency custody, specifically requesting temporary sole custody of his eldest daughter. His filing characterizes the move as unauthorized and calls for the girls to be returned. Beyond the Hong Kong dispute, Savchenko is also accusing Samodanova of taking their younger daughter to Russia without his permission, according to court documents obtained by Us Weekly. He now claims to have hard documentary proof — described as screenshots and other evidence — to support his position in the custody fight. The couple shares two daughters: Olivia, 15, and Zlata, 9. Samodanova, 43, has responded to Savchenko's claims, asserting that Hong Kong is in fact the children's permanent home — not the United States — and accusing Savchenko of wrongfully keeping one of their daughters away from her. She has pushed back on the framing of the situation as abduction. Savchenko and Samodanova, both professional dancers, divorced after a public split. The custody dispute now spans multiple countries — with Hong Kong and Russia both cited — and involves competing claims from both parents about where the children are legally supposed to reside.

Why it matters

The case involves competing international custody claims, with each parent accusing the other of wrongful retention or removal — a legally complex situation that could draw on international family law frameworks. The children's whereabouts and well-being are at the center of an active court proceeding.

What's next

The emergency custody request is pending before a court, and the outcome will depend on how a judge weighs each parent's claims about the children's legal place of residence.

Key facts

• Gleb Savchenko filed an emergency child custody order against ex-wife Elena Samodanova
• Savchenko claims Samodanova took their daughters to Hong Kong without authorization
• Samodanova says Hong Kong is the girls' permanent home, not the United States
• Samodanova counter-accuses Savchenko of wrongfully keeping one of their daughters from her
• Both Savchenko and Samodanova are professional dancers known from Dancing with the Stars
• The dispute is covered by both TMZ and Just Jared, with both outlets reporting competing statements from each parent

Bias & framing notes

Both TMZ and Just Jared covered this story, and their reporting is consistent on the basic facts — the emergency filing, Savchenko's abduction claim, and Samodanova's rebuttal. However, all four sources are entertainment-focused outlets relying on statements from the parties themselves rather than independent legal documents or court records. The framing of Savchenko's side as the initial story and Samodanova's as a 'firing back' response gives slight structural emphasis to his version; neither outlet provides independent verification of either party's jurisdictional claims.

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