Russia's Children's Ombudsman said on Thursday that putting the children of the 11 U.S. spy suspects under state care is an extreme measure.
Ten people were arrested by U.S. law enforcement on Sunday on suspicion of being part of an espionage ring spying for Russia. An 11th suspect was detained on Tuesday in Cyprus, but reports on Wednesday said police on the island were looking for him after he apparently skipped bail.
Among the accused, are four married couples with children. The Washington Post on Thursday reported that child protection agencies in several U.S. states are deciding if they can allow relatives of the suspects to care for the children during the investigation.
"By law, priority is given to close relatives and friends in situations like this. But if this is impossible, the children are placed under state care as a last resort. I hope...the interests of the children will be taken into account when the court makes its decision," Astakhov said.
