Publication date: 12.05.2025
Aleksei Aleksandrovych Panasenko is a lawyer and expert in criminal law, specializing in cases involving corruption and bribery offenses. He provides reliable protection of clients’ rights and interests at all stages of criminal proceedings.
🔹 Lawyer: Oleksii Panasenko
🔹 Service: Child rights protection, legal representation in paternity recognition and parental rights termination case
Case Background
A woman contacted our legal team while residing in the United Kingdom with her child following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. She had received temporary protection under a refugee assistance program. However, the situation escalated when her former husband, who was officially listed as the child’s father, attempted to return the child to Ukraine against both her and the child’s will, citing his “parental rights.”
Given the ongoing martial law, security risks in Ukraine, and the former husband’s lack of involvement in raising the child, it became necessary to protect the child’s rights and seek a court ruling confirming the absence of paternity.
Legal Objective
Lawyer Oleksii Panasenko personally took on the case. The main objectives were:
- Prevent the possible forced return of the child to Ukraine during wartime,
- Terminate the parental rights of the man who was legally listed as the father,
- Official recognition that the child has no biological connection to this man.
A key element in the case was a DNA test previously conducted by an Irish court as part of a separate family matter.
Legal Strategy
The legal actions that ensured the case’s success included:
Situation analysis: reviewed documents obtained in the UK, including local court decisions confirming the child’s legal residence in the United Kingdom.
Evidence collection:
▪️ A formal request was submitted to the Irish court to obtain an official copy of the DNA test,
▪️ The document was translated, notarized, and submitted as admissible evidence to the Ukrainian court.
Pleading preparation and filing:
▪️ A claim was filed with the Vinnytsia District Court of Vinnytsia Region seeking termination of parental rights of the former husband,
▪️ The same claim included a request for legal recognition of the absence of paternity based on DNA test results.
Court representation:
The legal team provided full representation — attending all hearings, preparing explanations, objections, and additional evidence, including witness statements confirming the man’s lack of involvement in the child’s life.
Court Decision
The Vinnytsia District Court of Vinnytsia Region granted the claim in full:
✅ The former husband was stripped of parental rights
✅ The court confirmed the absence of paternity, recognizing the DNA test results
✅ Legal barriers to the child’s residence abroad with the mother were removed
✅ Risks of the child’s return to Ukraine and deportation from the UK were eliminated
Case duration
The total duration of the case was about 6 months — from the client’s initial consultation to the final court decision taking effect.
This case clearly illustrates how international legal support, effective cooperation with foreign courts, proper translation and legalization of documents, and a clear legal strategy can achieve justice even in complex family law matters with an international component.
Thanks to the efforts of lawyer Oleksii Panasenko, not only were the child’s rights protected, but also legal risks were eliminated that could have led to traumatic consequences during wartime.
