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.