Gleb Savchenko says ex is pushing him out of daughters’ lives
The DWTS pro claims Elena Samodanova is using Instagram and a Hong Kong move to distance him from their children, allegations she says belong in court.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
3 min read
Gleb Savchenko says his custody fight with ex-wife Elena Samodanova has spilled onto Instagram, where he claims she is trying to edge him out of their daughters’ lives and present her fiancé as a father figure.
The “Dancing with the Stars” pro is seeking emergency custody, according to TMZ, which reported details from Savchenko’s declaration in the case. His claims center on the former couple’s daughters, Zlata and Olivia, and on Samodanova’s relationship with “DWTS” alum Vlad Kvartin.
In the declaration, Savchenko alleges that Zlata once had an Instagram handle that included his surname, but that Samodanova changed the account name to remove it. He also claims Samodanova has posted from Zlata’s account.
TMZ reported that one screenshot it obtained shows Zlata sitting on Kvartin’s shoulders while both appear to be smiling. The caption on the post reads, “My dad that stepped up #stepdad.”
According to TMZ, the story was reposted from Samodanova’s own account. The screenshot also showed Zlata’s handle still including Savchenko’s last name before the alleged later change.
The Hong Kong dispute
The Instagram allegations are part of a broader custody clash. TMZ previously reported that Savchenko claims Samodanova moved the girls to Hong Kong under what he says was supposed to be a temporary arrangement.
Savchenko alleges Samodanova is wrongfully keeping Zlata in Hong Kong. He has filed for emergency custody of Olivia, according to TMZ, and says Olivia is currently staying with him in Los Angeles.
His concern, according to the report, is that if Olivia returns to Hong Kong, she could also be kept there. Savchenko says he has also filed a Hague Convention petition seeking Zlata’s return to the United States.
The Hague Convention is often used in international child custody disputes involving claims that a child has been wrongfully removed or retained across borders. TMZ did not report a ruling on Savchenko’s requests.
Samodanova responds
Samodanova declined to address the specific claims when contacted by TMZ, citing the fact that the matter involves children and active litigation.
“As this matter involves minors and is part of ongoing litigation before the High Court of Hong Kong, I cannot comment on these claims. The court is the proper forum for presenting evidence, and I look forward to the truth being established through the legal process,” she told TMZ.
Savchenko and Samodanova, both professional dancers with ties to the “Dancing with the Stars” world, are now fighting over where the children should be and who gets to make decisions while the court process plays out.
For now, the sharpest claim in Savchenko’s declaration is not just that he has been separated from one daughter overseas. It is that, in his view, Samodanova is allegedly trying to reshape how the children see him, one social media post at a time.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.