Lithuania returns Russian man to Kaliningrad after he swam river seeking asylum
Lithuania's border guard detained a Russian citizen who swam across the Neman River seeking political asylum, then decided to send him back to Russia the same day.
Lithuania's State Border Guard Service (VSAT) detained a Russian citizen on the bank of the Neman River on September 17 at around 1:50 p.m. local time, after the man swam across from the Kaliningrad region. The case was first reported by Lithuanian outlet Lrytas, based on information VSAT provided to the news outlet BNC.
Sources differ on the man's age: Lrytas reported he is 60 years old, while BNC cited a figure of 68.
During questioning by Internal Affairs Ministry and border service officials, the man said he was fleeing persecution in Russia connected to his activity on social media. Despite this claim, Lithuanian authorities — including the State Security Department — decided that same day to return him to the Kaliningrad region through the Panemunė checkpoint.
A VSAT representative explained that officials found no indication the man faced genuine danger, that he held no special protected status, and that he did not belong to any vulnerable category warranting admission. As a result, the decision was made not to allow him to enter Lithuania or, by extension, the European Union.
The incident underscores how strictly Lithuania, as a country bordering the EU's external frontier with Russia, enforces its border controls against irregular crossings from Russian territory, even when asylum is claimed as the motive.
