A rising number of anti-war Russians are being forcibly returned from Western countries, with some deportees reportedly facing significant risks upon their return to Russia. Katya, whose name has been changed for protection, was among Russians deported from the US in December and met by Russian security services in Moscow. She claims officers from the FSB security service handed military papers to male deportees and interrogated many others for several hours.
The number of removals from the US rose from 222 in 2023 to more than 1,200 in 2025. Activists state that these deportees have included dissidents and Russian army deserters, some of whom were imprisoned or sent to war. Leonid Melekhin, an anti-war activist deported from the US last year, was charged with "justifying terrorism" and sentenced to six years in prison.
Deportations are also increasing from Europe. Germany's deportations of Russian nationals rose from seven in 2023 to over 110 in 2025. The proportion of positive asylum decisions for Russians in Germany fell from 29% in 2023 to 6.8% in the first eleven months of 2025. Across the EU, the proportion of Russian applicants granted some form of asylum protection decreased from 23% in 2024 to around 17% in the first nine months of 2025.
Western governments are reportedly tightening immigration rules amid political pressure over high numbers of irregular migrants and asylum applications, as well as security concerns. Lawyer Anastasia Burakova, founder of rights group Kovcheg (Ark), states that the clampdown is "in response to public concerns and rising support for right-wing populist parties."