Can ​Kremlin Critics Feel ⁢Safe in Germany?

Kremlin critic Ilya Yashin on the dangers posed by the Russian secret service and ‌the ‍war in Ukraine.

Rejecting ​Police Protection

Ilya Yashin, a prominent Kremlin critic,‍ has rejected police protection in Germany despite potential dangers from the ‍Russian secret service. In an interview​ with the Funke media group newspapers, ​Yashin revealed that he was ⁤offered personal protection after arriving in Germany following a prisoner⁢ exchange⁣ between Russia and the West. However, he declined, stating, “I didn’t even have bodyguards in Moscow, so why should I have any here?”

A “Strange Incident” in Berlin

Yashin reported ​a ⁢suspicious‌ encounter while visiting a cafe in ‍Berlin with a friend. A man at the next table began filming them, leading Yashin ⁤to suspect that he was a Russian ⁤agent or ⁣police ​officer. “I now know⁤ very ⁤well what Russian agents or police officers look like,” he said.

Russia’s ‌War in Ukraine

Yashin expressed concerns ⁤about Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, stating, “There should be no⁢ illusion that​ Putin ⁣would be satisfied with‌ Ukraine.” He emphasized the need for​ the Western opposition‍ and Russia to work together to support Ukraine. In 2022, Yashin was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for discussing Russian atrocities in the Kiev⁢ suburb of Bucha.

Narrowing Space for Critical Opinion in Russia

Yashin lamented the ⁣decreasing space⁢ for⁣ critical opinion in Russia, where most people‌ fear opposing President Vladimir Putin and his regime. ⁢”Putin has taken my⁤ people hostage,” he ⁤said.

Unprecedented Prisoner ‍Exchange

In‌ a historic prisoner exchange, ​Russia and Belarus released Yashin and 15 others who had been‌ imprisoned for their activities as journalists, artists, opposition parties, or ⁢activists. In return, ten people were ⁢transferred to‌ Moscow, including the “Tiergarten killer” Vadim Krasikov and ‌convicted spies.