Latvia has refused to provide asylum to a Russian citizen who claimed that she is an opponent of Vladimir Putin's regime and the war against Ukraine.

As Estonian news website Delfi rerport, the Russian woman applied for refugee status or alternative status in autumn 2022. But the Estonian Citizenship and Migration Board (PMLP) did not approve her request in spring 2023.

The Russian woman did not agree with the decision and appealed to the Administrative District Court without specifying any reasons.

Following the court's decision, the woman entered Latvia together with her husband, who was forced to leave Russia after he received a draft notice in October 2022.

They left Russia for Georgia. After staying in Georgia for two weeks, they decided to fly to Latvia and ask for asylum in that country. But the man died in Latvia.

The court did not find the woman's fear of politically motivated persecution by the Russian authorities due to her political views to be objectively justified. Therefore the petition was rejected on the part related to granting asylum status.

Latvia's Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP) will send letters to 6,000 Russian citizens asking them to leave the country in September.

Lithuania recognised 1,164 Belarusians and Russians as a threat to national security.