Time for a change. Gleb Savchenko’s estranged wife, Elena Samodanova, requested primary physical custody of their children until he gets a house of his own, Us Weekly exclusively confirms.
“I have been focused and responsible for ensuring [the] health, safety and welfare of our children since birth. Since the separation, our children have lived with me,” Samodanova, 36, said in her Tuesday, December 22, divorce filing, which Us obtained. “[Savchenko] has not rented an apartment and is essentially ‘crashing’ with his friend. He is renting a room from his friend who is a bachelor and who constantly makes social media posts about parties at that apartment.”
Samodanova said that she has made several visits to the apartment and observed that “alcohol is easily accessible” there, arguing that it is “not a safe environment” for the estranged couple’s daughters, Olivia, 10, and Zlata, 3.
“Based on the foregoing, I respectfully request that the court grant me continued primary physical custody of the children with visitation to [Savchenko], until such time as he secures appropriate housing for himself and the children, with furnished bedrooms for our girls, which will enable extended visitation to [ensure] frequent and continuing contact with both parents,” she added.
In the court documents, Samodanova stated that she and the Dancing With the Stars pro, 37, separated on December 1 after attending mediation. She added, “While we were able to reach an agreement on several issues, we did not reach an agreement on a parenting plan, child support, spousal support and legal fees.”
Samodanova requested that Savchenko pay her spousal support as his annual salary has greatly increased since they married in July 2006, largely due to his role on the ABC dance competition. She also asked that he pay her attorney’s fees.
The Russia natives announced their split via Instagram on November 6 amid rumors that he had been unfaithful with his season 29 partner, Chrishell Stause, who is in the midst of a divorce from This Is Us star Justin Hartley. Savchenko and the Selling Sunset star, who is now dating DWTS pro Keo Motsepe, have both denied being more than friends.
“The thing is, I’ve never actually cheated on [Samodanova]. Never, ever, ever,” the TV personality told Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday, December 23, before claiming that his estranged wife is “very jealous and she cannot stand the fact that I finally found the inner strength to say, ‘Enough.’”
With reporting by Diana Cooper
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