Belarusian businessman in Lithuania faces potential refugee status revocation

A Belarusian businessman living in Lithuania, Dmitrijus Skinderevas, claims the country’s Migration Department plans to revoke his refugee status due to his criticism of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s circle, LRT reports. The department states no final decision has been made.

Skinderevas, a controversial figure, has threatened Tsikhanouskaya’s advisor in Vilnius, and his critical videos are frequently aired on Belarusian state propaganda channels. In 2020, he joined public movements in Belarus after years of denying political involvement, despite a prior conviction for property extortion in an organized group.

He asserts he has run businesses in Belarus for over 20 years and moved to Lithuania in 2020 as legal protections in his home country weakened. His Lithuanian company is currently loss-making and owes creditors €354,000.

Skinderevas drew public outrage after threatening advisor Dzmitry Kuchynski in a Vilnius café and later staging a provocation near a shelter for released political prisoners. Kuchynski denies any prior cooperation with Skinderevas, stating he first encountered him during the café incident.

In a 2020 YouTube video, Skinderevas reported an alleged plot to stage an armed coup, comparing it to Ukraine’s Maidan, and filed a complaint with Belarusian law enforcement. He emphasized his non-involvement in opposition politics, stating he merely sought to protect business rights.

According to independent Belarusian outlet Nasha Niva, Skinderevas was not active in the 2020 post-election protests. Before 2020, he had accumulated debts of around €160,000, coinciding with his increased online activity. His 2000s conviction for property extortion resulted in a two-year prison term.