An orphan baby born with no eyes has a new loving home for Christmas.
Smiling Alexander K, who is known as Sasha, has an exceptionally rare medical condition which means he has no eyes.
When the boy was six-months-old his plight was publicised, leading to people across the world expressing interest in adopting him.
Two months on and just in time for Christmas, adoption officials in Tomsk, Russia announced they had found a warm and loving family for him to join.
“Little Sasha was taken into care by a Russian family from a different city,” an adoption official spokeswoman told the Siberian Times.
“It happened during the last month….We cannot reveal any more details about the family.
“We are, of course, very happy for baby Sasha and wishing him and his parents all the best.”
Svetlana Syrova, the journalist who first wrote about Sasha, said it was “special Christmas magic” that led to the boy being adopted.
In his new life he will have sisters to play with a summer country house to visit.
The baby’s young birth mother learned about the rare and difficult disability her unborn child had when she was 31 weeks pregnant.
She felt that in her circumstances she would not be able to care for him.
Sasha suffers from an extreme from of rare SOX2 anophthalmia syndrome and was born without eyeballs.
Only three cases of the condition have been registered.
Sasha will never be able to see unless there are massive medical breakthroughs during his lifetime.
In October, when he was put up for adoption, Tomsk doctor Tatiana Rudnikovich said: “Sasha is going through all regular check ups and tests like any other baby of his age.
“He is doing well.”
His nurse from the orphanage where he lived in Tomsk went with him to St Petersburg where tiny eye orbs were implanted to ensure that his face does not grow deformed.
"He will have new ones implanted every six months as he grows," the nurse said.
"He is no different to other children, he plays and smiles just like any healthy baby.
"He loves playing and adores swimming, he is a very cheerful baby indeed."
For Russians the main festive celebration is at New Year when white-bearded Grandfather Frost delivers presents to children.
