Latvia has moved to expel Leonid Ragozin, a Russian journalist who has lived in the country for over a decade. The Foreign Minister of Riga, Baiba Broka, announced that based on new information and after consulting with the Prime Minister and the Minister of the Interior, the process of adding another Russian citizen to the list of undesirable individuals in Latvia has begun.
Details of the Expulsion
Ragozin, who has a history of working with the BBC as well as contributing to media outlets like Bloomberg and POLITICO, recently spoke in a podcast hosted by Aran Mat about Russia's response to what he calls Western provocations. He stated that Russia must respond to these provocations with "forceful measures." These remarks have angered Latvian officials.
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Reactions from Latvian Officials
The Latvian Minister of the Interior, Janis Dambrova, in a post on social media X, accused Ragozin of serving "Russian interests" and stated that the conditions under which he can live freely in Latvia are unacceptable. Dambrova added that the "undesirable person" designation is precisely the tool designed for this purpose, and the expulsion process is underway rapidly.
The Baltic countries, including Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, are watching Moscow's actions with concern as Russian forces continue their assaults in Ukraine. These countries have repeatedly called on Europe to take a firm stance against Russia. Latvia was the only EU country last month to oppose the lifting of sanctions against Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov.
Ragozin has not yet responded to requests for comment. Given the existing tensions in the region and security concerns, Latvia's action could have further implications for its relations with Russia and the security of the Baltic countries.
