Siamese twin from Kyrgyzstan became a citizen of the Russian Federation
The story of the Siamese twins from Kyrgyzstan, Zita and Gita Rezakhanova, has attracted global attention. The girls were born in 1991 in the village of Zapadnoye in the Sokuluk district of the Chui region. Together, they had three legs, one bladder, and a shared pelvis. In 2003, doctors at Moscow's Filatov Hospital successfully performed a unique operation to separate the twins. For several years, the sisters felt well, but in 2011, Zita's health deteriorated. The girl underwent treatment in clinics in Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, and Russia. To ensure her daughter could receive medical assistance in Russia on preferential terms, the twins' mother, Zumriyat Rezakhanova, appealed to the Russian authorities for citizenship. In August 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree granting the Rezakhanovs Russian citizenship. However, Zita did not manage to receive the documents: in the fall of 2015, she passed away from multiple organ failure.
While presenting the documents to Gita and Zumriyat Rezakhanova, the Russian ambassador in Kyrgyzstan, Andrey Krutko, sadly noted that Zita did not live to see this day, but her memory will remain forever. In turn, the Rezakhanovs expressed their gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin for allowing them to obtain citizenship, which is so necessary for Gita.
- It was difficult to receive treatment in Russia for three years without being Russian citizens, - noted Zumriyat Rezakhanova. Now Gita has a bright future ahead. She is currently studying at a Muslim college in Osh and speaks Arabic and English. In the near future, Gita and I plan to go to Moscow for treatment and prosthetics.
The girl's mother shared that even without a Russian passport, the doctors at the clinics did everything possible to help the twins. With the acquisition of Russian citizenship, the Rezakhanovs' expenses for medical services in Russia will significantly decrease, making it much easier to undergo treatment and examinations. However, they do not plan to move permanently from Kyrgyzstan to Russia and intend to retain both Russian and Kyrgyz citizenship.
