Foreign Minister Braže bans Stepaņenko's father Fedotov from entering Latvia
Latvia's Foreign Minister Baiba Braže has placed Sergei Fedotov, the Russia-based father of prime ministerial candidate Jūlija Stepaņenko, on the country's list of undesirable persons over his firm's years-long material support for Russia's army in Ukraine.
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže has decided to add Sergei Fedotov, a Russia-based businessman, to the list of persons undesirable in Latvia. Fedotov is the father of Jūlija Stepaņenko, prime ministerial candidate for the "Sovereign Power/Latvian Nationalists' Union" party alliance. Braže announced the decision on Twitter, citing a provision of Latvia's Immigration Law that empowers the foreign minister to designate individuals as undesirable. Fedotov is now barred indefinitely from entering Latvia.
Links to the Russian military
Fedotov and his company, Forma ŽBI, have for several years provided material support to Russian forces engaged in the war against Ukraine. As early as 2022 the company produced anti-tank obstacles and metal stoves, and Fedotov later donated vehicles to a fund supporting military logistics. According to reports in Russian media, the company was capable of producing more than 150 concrete structures per day, and within a single month it manufactured roughly 2,000 defensive fortifications and about 50 stoves, which were shipped to Russia's Belgorod region and to Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine. Fedotov also supplied vehicles to a fund backing Russian troops, whose shipments reached combat units as well.
Earlier military contracts
The family's former company, Forma-Stroy, in which Fedotov held a 60% stake, had already received military-related contracts starting in 2015, including agreements with an engine research institute later placed under European Union sanctions. Those contracts were signed before the sanctions took effect.
Stepaņenko declines to comment on her father
Stepaņenko has refused to disclose details about her father's business to Latvian Television, citing a wish to protect her family, but has repeatedly said she will not disown or turn away from him.
