Latvia moves to expel Russian journalist Leonid Ragozin

Latvia has initiated the process to expel Leonid Ragozin, a Russian journalist and commentator who has resided in the country for over ten years. Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže announced the decision to declare Ragozin ‘persona non grata’ following consultations with the Prime Minister and the Minister of the Interior.

Ragozin, who has previously worked for the BBC and contributed to Bloomberg and Politico, drew criticism following remarks made on a podcast hosted by Aaron Maté for the Grayzone. In those remarks, Ragozin suggested that Russia feels compelled to respond to Western provocations with ‘brute force’ due to perceived pressure on its strategic interests.

Latvian Minister of the Interior Jānis Dombrava accused Ragozin of serving Russian interests, stating that his continued free residence in the country was untenable. The move occurs amid heightened tensions in the Baltic states—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—as they monitor Russian military activity in Ukraine and advocate for a tougher European stance against the Kremlin.