Almost 120,000 Russian orphans adopted last year

20:14 29/ 02/ 2008

MOSCOW, February 29 (RIA Novosti) - Some 120,000 Russian orphans were adopted both in Russia and abroad in 2007, a 6.4% increase from 2006, an official with Russia's Science and Education Ministry said on Friday.

"A significant growth in the amount of children adopted was seen in more than 40% of Russian regions," said Alina Levitskaya, the director of the ministry's department for education, higher education and social protection.

The official added, however, that number of foreigners adopting Russian children had almost halved. The number of people in Russia adopting children saw a 14.5% growth from 2006, however.

Only 4,300 Russian orphans were adopted by foreigners last year.

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