By Alex Greig A Michigan couple have managed to smuggle their newly adopted daughter out of Crimea just after Russia officially annexed the state. Kristine Proctor was waiting for the final pieces of paperwork to be filed for her and husband James's adoption of a 16-year-old orphan called Yana when Russian troops flooded the streets and a referendum decided that Crimea would become a part of Russia. Although the official unification wasn't immediate, bureaucrats stopped issuing the documents the Proctors needed to remove Yana, who has since renamed herself Melissa, from her orphanage and the region. Reunited: Kristine and James Proctor with their newly adopted daughter Melissa
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Kristine and James Proctor went to Crimea to adopt a 16-year-old orphan, Melissa
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While they waited for paperwork to be completed, Crimea was annexed by Russia
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Kristine Proctor had to smuggle her daughter out of the region just hours before the annexation was complete
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Crimea has now been unified with Russia and all U.S. adoptions have been halted
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Melissa flew to Michigan on Saturday to begin her life as the adopted daughter of the Proctors
New daughter: The Proctors say @placeholder is bright and confident and believe she will thrive in the United States