Gleb Savchenko’s ex-wife Elena Samodanova has requested primary custody of their daughters, 11-year-old Olivia and 4-year-old Zlata. The former couple was married from 2006 to 2020. Following their divorce, Savchenko and Samodanova mutually agreed on joint custody.
According to court documents that Us Weekly obtained, Samodanova claims that she is seeking custody from the Dancing with the Stars pro due to his hectic work schedule and his inability to adequately take care of their children.
Samodanova wrote in the documents, “It is in the best interests of Minor Children to be in the care of their mother rather than a babysitter while [Savchenko] is unable to exercise his visitation due to long work schedule and travel.” Samodanova also claimed that her ex refuses to adjust his 2022 work schedule and insists on leaving the children in the nanny’s care.
In addition to Savchenko’s refusal to amend his schedule, Samodanova also brought to the court’s attention how the pair’s oldest daughter, Olivia, was struggling in school. She stated, “[Savchenko] has failed to assist Olivia with homework or to take her to the school on time.” Along with primary custody, Samodanova is seeking an increase in child support to help accommodate their new living arrangement and $10,000 to pay for her attorney fees.
Samodanova filed for divorce from Savchenko in Dec. 2020 after rumors began circulating about the dancer allegedly having an affair with his DWTS partner at the time, Chrishell Stause. Both ultimately denied the accusation, with Stause later revealing that she was dating another dancer named Keo Motsepe. Despite Samodanova and Savchenko’s divorce, the pair spent the holiday with their daughters.
No additional details regarding the situation have been released.