Celebrity Exes
Who Is Gleb Savchenko’s Ex-Wife? All About His Divorce Before Brooks Nader Romance
Gleb Savchenko‘s tumultuous romance with Brooks Nader is featured on the supermodel’s new reality show Love Thy Nader, but this wasn’t the first time he dealt with a public breakup. The pro dancer’s split from ex-wife Elena Samodanova played out in the press as well.
Savchenko married Samodanova in 2006. However, they announced in 2020 that they were ending their relationship. Scroll down for everything we know about Savchenko’s ex and their split.
Why did Gleb Savchenko and Elena Samodanova divorce?
One month after Savchenko gushed over Samodanova for her birthday in October 2020, he confirmed to Us Weekly that he and his wife were separating. “It is with a heavy heart that I tell you my wife and I are parting ways after 14 years of marriage,” he said. She filed for divorce the following month.
Samodanova accused Savchenko of having “multiple affairs,” telling People, “Gleb’s ongoing infidelity and a recent inappropriate relationship has created turmoil in our marriage and absolutely torn our family apart. No wife should ever stand by and watch while another woman gifts her husband expensive presents, lures him out to dinners and seduces him at every turn.”
In response to Samodanova’s statement, Savchenko wrote on social media, “I will not stand by and allow false accusations and internet rumors go unaddressed.” He directly slammed rumors that he was having an affair with Chrishell Stause, his DWTS partner at the time.
“My relationship with Chrishell was and remains strictly platonic,” Savchenko said. “Our friendship during our season on DWTS was not the reason for our split. Elena and I have had longstanding issues in our marriage. This has been an ongoing situation between Elena and I paired with poor timing. It was my deepest hope to keep our private life just that: private. I am saddened and disappointed to see that Elena has chosen not to do the same.”
At first, things were copacetic between the exes. They even vacationed together with their daughters in the spring of 2021. “He is [the] father of my kids, I wish him all the best,” she said in an Instagram Q&A later that year.
Do Gleb Savchenko and Elena Samodanova have kids?
Yes, Savchenko and Samodanova have two daughters. Their eldest, Olivia, was born in 2010, followed by another baby girl, Zlata, in 2017.
After Samodanova’s divorce filing, Savchenko requested joint physical and legal custody. In 2021, the exes were granted 50/50 custody of the kids. However, Samodanova filed to change this later that year so she could have primary custody.
“[Savchenko] travels extensively as a professional dancer and is not available to exercise the current custody/visitation schedule,” she claimed in court documents, per People. She asked for “primary custody of the minor children with alternating weekends, with first right of refusal when [Savchenko] is unable to exercise his custodial time.”
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In March 2022, she issued a new filing and claimed, per People, “I agreed to alternate parenting time every five days. Soon after the judgment was signed, [Savchenko]’s schedule changed and he was not available to take care of our daughters. Due to [Savchenko]’s long work hours and travels in 2022, he is unable to exercise custody pursuant to current parenting plan.”
Samodanova moved to Hong Kong with the girls in 2023, Savchenko revealed the following year. “It’s really hard to stay connected because of the time difference. But I try my best,” he told Us Weekly. “I visited them during Christmas. I took them to Thailand for three weeks.”
Who is Elena Samodanova?
Like Savchenko, Samodanova is also a professional dancer. She is from Russia and has worked as a ballroom dance judge, as well as a choreographer. Samodanova has a master’s degree in choreography from Moscow’s Arts and Culture Theatre University and also produces dance shows.
Samodanova is now the CEO of an entertainment agency in Hong Kong. She is currently expecting a child with Vlad Kvartin, who was previously in the Dancing With the Stars troupe.
Love Thy Nader, All Episodes Streaming, Hulu
Dancing With the Stars, Season 34 Premiere, Tuesday, September 16, 8/7c, ABC
