Risks to Russian dissidents in Western nations

Russian dissidents have expressed growing concerns regarding their safety in Western nations. Journalist Roman Dobrokhotov warned at a Washington conference that the traditional status of the United States as a safe haven for political critics may be eroding, suggesting that “nowhere is safe” due to potential shifts in the unofficial rules governing espionage and targeted killings.

This perceived loss of security is accompanied by a documented increase in the deportation of Russian nationals, including activists, from Western countries. In the United States, removals rose from 222 in 2023 to over 1,200 in 2025, while German deportations increased from seven in 2023 to more than 110 in 2025.

Asylum approval rates for Russians have also declined significantly. In Germany, the approval rate dropped from 29% in 2023 to 6.8% in the first 11 months of 2025. Across the European Union, the proportion of protection granted to Russian citizens fell from 23% in 2024 to approximately 17% during the first nine months of 2025. Deportees returning to Russia report facing immediate risks, including FSB interrogations and, for men, forced military registration for deployment in Ukraine.