LONDON, UK - The mother of a 15-month-old Ukrainian boy that Elton John wanted to adopt has pleaded with the star to drop his plans, according to a report Monday.

The mother, known only as Marina, told the Sun newspaper that she wanted to get her life back on track so that she could retrieve her son from the Ukrainian orphanage where he now lives.

"I love him so much and desperately want him back so I can hold him," she told the tabloid in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine.

The woman, an impoverished alcoholic who is HIV positive, had both of her children taken away from her by social workers, according to the newspaper.

"I know Elton fell in love with my Lev. I saw him holding him and kissing him on TV and in the newspapers. I understand Elton's feelings. Lev is a very funny and cheerful boy. It's impossible not to love him," she said.

"But I'm going to overcome my problems. I so much want my babies back."

The British singer-songwriter revealed in September that he and his partner would like to adopt Lev after meeting him in the orphanage.

He was visiting the Ukraine with his AIDS charity foundation and performed for children at the orphanage, some of whose parents had died of the disease.

Ukrainian authorities later poured cold water on his wish, saying foreign adoptive parents must be married couples and added that homosexual marriage is not recognised in the country.