Gleb Savchenko Counters Ex-Wife's Allegations Amid Custody Battle Over Their Daughters

Dancing with the Stars pro, Gleb Savchenko, has hit back at his ex-wife Elena Samodanova, who claimed he was keeping their daughter from her. In a heated custody battle over their two daughters, Olivia, 15, and Zlata, 8, Samodanova filed an emergency court order on August 11, requesting sole legal and physical custody, and seeking the return of Olivia to her care.

Savchenko's lawyer Mark Karney dismissed Samodanova's claims as 'outright untruths.' The Russian dancer had previously filed for sole custody of Olivia in July, aiming to enroll her in high school in Los Angeles. However, Samodanova argued that their daughter was thriving since their 2021 move to Hong Kong. In response to Samodanova's motion, Savchenko's attorney asked for her petition to be denied, stating that Olivia 'wants nothing more than to live in California with her father and attend school here.' The filing also claimed that the teenager had spoken to her mother despite allegations of hiding their whereabouts.

The document further alleged that Samodanova's communication with Olivia was often hostile, causing the teenager to limit contact. Savchenko's attorney also argued that Samodanova failed to properly notify his client of the court order, and asserted that Olivia was old enough to decide her preferred level of contact with her mother. In a declaration, Savchenko claimed that while he had not hidden Olivia from her mother, she had expressed a desire to live in California and attend school there.

He also accused Samodanova of disregarding Olivia's wishes, causing discord between the two. Savchenko expressed hope that Samodanova would respect Olivia's decision to remain in California with him, far away from Hong Kong. As of now, Samodanova has not publicly addressed the allegations. Us Weekly reached out for comment.