Aleksej Karikh, chairman of the Russian anti-war committee in Sweden known as Russians against War, has criticized Swedish visa policies that he claims disproportionately affect regime-critical Russians living in Sweden. In an opinion piece published in Swedish newspapers, Karikh argues that Sweden has effectively stopped issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens for more than a year, with exceptions only in special cases. According to Karikh, this policy prevents Russian citizens or residents in Sweden from inviting family members for visits, particularly impacting regime-critical Russians who cannot travel to Russia to visit relatives due to risks of being detained and charged with serious state crimes like treason or espionage.
' The article calls for more targeted policies that distinguish between ordinary citizens and those responsible for the war in Ukraine.
Sweden has effectively stopped issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens for more than a year, with exceptions only in special cases.
This policy prevents Russian citizens or residents in Sweden from inviting family members for visits, particularly impacting regime-critical Russians who cannot travel to Russia to visit relatives due to risks of being detained and charged with serious state crimes like treason or espionage.
Such restrictions are counterproductive and are used in Russian propaganda to claim that 'the West is against everything Russian.'