An activist who used to volunteer for an organization run by the late Alexei Navalny in St. Petersburg.
Two Chechens — one fleeing war, the other punishment for criticizing regional autocrat Ramzan Kadyrov.
An IT worker from Crimea who quietly opposed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and tried to forge a new life abroad.
The profiles of the Russians caught up in a startling new crackdown on Kremlin critics in Kazakhstan embody all the diversity of Russia’s wartime emigre population — and the grave risks such people face trying to escape persecution back home.
In a swift reversal of longstanding norms, Kazakhstan has begun planning to deport or extradite several Russian citizens since the start of the year. If sent back, their lawyers say they face lengthy prison sentences, forced conscription and, in some cases, torture.
