Russian family denied asylum in Finland fear reprisals for pro-Ukraine activism

A Russian family in Finland is fighting deportation after their asylum claims were repeatedly denied. Nikita and Olga Belov fled Russia in 2022, saying they drew the attention of authorities there — including military summons and threatening messages — over their opposition to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As The Guardian reports, they say a return to Moscow would expose them to arrest, imprisonment, and potential torture for that pro-Ukrainian activism, though they have yet to persuade Finnish authorities to let them stay.

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