From Russia to all our love

9:27am Wednesday 24th September 2008

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THE family of a Hampshire girl trapped in Russia for more than three weeks have spoken of their relief after she finally returned home.

Victoria Osborne, 11, known as “Vicka”, arrived back in the UK late on Monday and yesterday started at her new school.

Her stepdad, Patrick Osborne, 52, today told the Daily Echo of his happiness at having his family back together.

Victoria was detained in Russia following a family holiday after her biological father, a colonel in the country’s army, put a restriction on her leaving the country.

She had been with her mother, Tatiana, to visit her grandmother in Saratov but when the pair arrived at the airport to fly home on August 28 they were stopped by officials.

Under Russian law, divorced parents can impose a legal restriction to stop their children leaving the country until they are 18.

The news devastated Dr Osborne, who feared that his daughter could be stuck more than 1,000 miles away for seven years.

He has worked tirelessly to try and bring the pair home and now his hard work has paid off.

The university lecturer said that Victoria’s father, Yuri Gladkikh, imposed the restriction because he wanted the rights to a flat that he shared with Mrs Osborne before they separated eight years ago.

Last week Dr Osborne flew out to Russia to support his family and while he was there the two parties came to an agreement.

Mrs Osborne, 34, agreed to de-register from the flat, effectively signing away her rights to her inheritance, and Col Gladkikh withdrew the restriction, allowing Victoria to come home, Dr Osborne said.

Speaking from his home in Ilex Close, Kings Worthy, hours after his return, he said: “It’s difficult to realise that it’s true. It was a difficult day yesterday – to the last minute we were never quite sure that it’d come off and now we’re in shock.”

However, the happiness of Victoria’s return has been coupled with sadness as Dr Osborne says he doubts the schoolgirl will be able to visit her grandmother in Russia again.

Dr Osborne, who lectures at the University of Southampton, said: “I don’t think they’ll be safe to go and visit her grandmother again, that’s the irony in all this. He abused this law so he would be able to keep her there but never asked to see her once when she was there.”

He added that Tatiana had now lost her home in Russia and any rights she would have to the sale of it.

Despite only returning home at 9pm on Monday, Vicka was keen to start her new life at The Westgate School and went yesterday. She missed out on the first two-and-a- half weeks of starting secondary school but her stepfather says she is keen to meet her new teachers and friends.

He said: “She had a lot of cards waiting for her when she got home. There was tremendous support from people locally.

“She’s gone through a lot. I think she doesn’t understand why someone would do this to her.”