The Mexican authorities have refused to return Kristina Romanova, a 17-year-old Russian citizen, to Russia, according to Yakov Fedorov, head of the consular department at the Russian Embassy in Mexico. Fedorov announced this on April 12.
The embassy states that Mexico has not provided consular access to Romanova since August 2025 and has ignored repeated appeals to the Mexican Foreign Ministry, Prosecutor General’s Office, and other authorities.
Romanova is currently detained in a specialized facility of the Mexican Attorney General’s Office for Family and Children Affairs. The Russian embassy has been seeking her repatriation since 2023, and she herself requested assistance with returning to Russia.
Fedorov reported that after “long and persistent demands,” consular staff met with Romanova four times during the summer of 2025 as per her requests. He stated that Mexico’s actions constitute a violation of international procedures because detaining an individual who is not a detainee, arrested, or convicted is legally unjustified.
The case has been ongoing for over two years without resolution.
