WorldAbducted abroad: How Russia seizes citizens and puts them on trial at home

After Russia’s full-scale war began and mobilization was announced, many Russians left the country. Meduza says that departure does not necessarily place them beyond the reach of Russian security services. Some countries extradite people at the request of Russian law-enforcement agencies, while others deport suspects under various pretexts. Some are abducted outright and taken back to Russia for trial. The cases include activist Ariadna Litvinova and Georgy Pirogov, who received a 23-year sentence from the Moscow City Court on “treason” charges.

Russiacross-border abductionsextraditioncriminal trials

MMeduza★★★☆☆2026-07-14 23:49Original