Orphanage-Raised Latvian National Guardsman Nikita Oboznij to Keep Citizenship – Never Had Ukrainian Citizenship

The Latvian Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) has decided to discontinue proceedings to revoke the Latvian citizenship of Nikita Oboznij, who was born in Latvia and raised in orphanages. The man faced the risk of losing his citizenship because he was believed to be a dual citizen – holding both Latvian and Ukrainian citizenship.

However, further investigation revealed that Oboznij never actually had Ukrainian citizenship formally granted under Ukrainian law. Therefore, he was not a dual citizen, and the OCMA has closed the case, allowing him to retain his Latvian citizenship.

Nikita Oboznij is known as a volunteer in the Latvian National Guard (Zemessardze), having joined after growing up in state care. The case sparked public debate about citizenship rights for children raised in orphanages. The OCMA stated that the matter was thoroughly reviewed and is now resolved.