Russian family facing deportation from Finland despite fears of reprisals for pro-Ukraine activism

Russian mother and son Olga and Nikita Belov face deportation from Finland after their asylum applications were repeatedly rejected, despite fears of arrest and torture in Russia for their pro-Ukraine activism. Nikita, a former Moscow metallurgical engineer, fled in 2022 after refusing to work on war-related projects. Finland has deported 1,039 Russians since February 2022 amid heightened border tensions and tightened asylum rules, drawing criticism from activists like Bill Browder.

Belov family deportation case

• ▪Nikita and Olga Belov fled Russia in 2022 after attracting attention from Russian authorities, including military summons and police visits to their home.
• ▪Nikita Belov, a 25-year-old engineer, and his mother Olga Belov, a 55-year-old nurse anaesthetist, face deportation from Finland after being repeatedly denied asylum.
• ▪In April 2026, Finnish authorities detained Nikita and Olga Belov pending deportation, but they were later released following a court intervention.
• ▪Nikita Belov left his engineering job at a Moscow research institute specializing in metallurgical technologies after discovering his work was connected to the Russian war effort.

Pro-Ukraine activism reprisal risk

• ▪Nikita and Olga Belov stated they fear immediate arrest, imprisonment, and torture by Russian authorities if they are deported to Russia.
• ▪While in Finland, Nikita and Olga Belov actively supported Ukraine by volunteering at a local Ukraine center and coordinating humanitarian aid, including Starlink equipment and a 3D printer.
• ▪The lawyer representing Nikita and Olga Belov stated that Nikita Belov's previous access to confidential government information in his engineering role increases the risk they face if deported to Russia.

Finnish asylum policy toward Russians

• ▪Between February 2022 and June 2026, Finnish authorities refused entry to 1,109 out of 1,342 Russians in connection with negative asylum applications.
• ▪Between February 2022 and June 2026, the Finnish immigration service deported 1,039 Russians, making Russians the most deported nationality from Finland during this period.
• ▪Antti Lehtinen, director of the department for international protection at the Finnish immigration service, stated that opposition to the war in Ukraine can constitute grounds for persecution and international protection.
• ▪The Finnish immigration service rejected the asylum applications of Nikita and Olga Belov, stating they face "no real risk" if they return to Russia.

Finland-Russia border tensions

• ▪Following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Finland indefinitely closed its entire border with Russia, accusing Moscow of directing asylum seekers in a "hybrid operation."
• ▪Since 2022, Russia has expanded its military bases on the Finnish border, while NATO, which Finland joined in 2023, has conducted training exercises in Finland.

Legal advocacy for asylum seekers

• ▪Bill Browder, head of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign, described the Belov family's case as a defining test of Europe's commitment to protecting those who oppose Vladimir Putin's war.
• ▪The lawyer representing Nikita and Olga Belov stated that recent changes to Finnish asylum procedures, including reduced access to legal aid, have made obtaining refugee status in Finland significantly more difficult.

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