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Schroder adopts Russian orphan

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder has adopted a Russian orphan, it was revealed on Tuesday.

Three-year-old Victoria, from St Petersburg, has been living at the Schroders' family home in Hanover in northern Germany for several weeks.

The chairman of Schroder's Social Democrat party, Franz Muentefering, confirmed the reports.

"I wish them all the best together," he told reporters.

A spokesperson for the Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin had been informed of Schroder's intention to adopt a Russian child.

"The decision was made fully in line with Russian law based on the decision of a Russian court," a Kremlin source told the Russian news agency Interfax, adding that Doris Schroder-Kopf, the chancellor's wife, was present in court for the final decision. It has been an emotional month for Schroder, who turned 60 in April and is facing almost weekly street demonstrations against his attempts to reform the flagging German economy.

Last week he visited for the first time the grave of his father, who was a conscript in the Nazi army and was killed by Romanian villagers during World War II.

It is not clear when Victoria arrived at the Schroder's home. Neighbors say that Schroder-Kopf has been seen carrying the toddler in the garden for several weeks, according to the German daily Bild.

It appears that the whole Schroder family flew to Russia a few weeks ago to collect the toddler.

The addition to the family was such a closely guarded secret that the German secret service that provides Schroder's bodyguards was told "the Schroders will be four" just before arriving at the plane to fly them home, Bild reported.

Schroder's last official visit to Russia was on July 8, when he led a delegation of about 30 top German businessmen on a one-day trip to meet Putin.

Victoria is the couple's second child. Schroder-Kopf, a 41- year old former journalist and the chancellor's fourth wife, has a 13-year-old daughter, Klara, from a previous relationship.

A successful children's author, Schroder-Kopf has dedicated herself to promoting children's causes and published a book of essays explaining politics to young Germans, called The Chancellor Lives in the Swimming Pool.
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