Russia sentences man returned from Lithuania to six years

A 68-year-old Russian citizen who arrived in Lithuania by boat on the Nemunas from the Kaliningrad region in September and was later returned to Russia has been sentenced to six years in prison, LRT reported, citing Lrytas.

Russian media reports say Igor Odintsov was sentenced for publicly calling for terrorist activity. He is expected to serve his term in a strict-regime penal colony over posts condemning the war in Ukraine, according to Lrytas, which cited the Russian outlet Ruwest.

The Kaliningrad Lithuanian community’s chairman, Sigitas Šamborskis, confirmed that Odintsov was the man who had arrived in Lithuania and called the decision to return him to Russia “another betrayal”.

Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service told Lrytas it was unclear whether Odintsov had applied for asylum, saying it was uncertain whether his statement, which was not clearly and understandably expressed, could be treated as a request for international protection.

Border guards returned him to Russia on September 17. Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas said at the time that the man had requested political asylum. The service said it had no information indicating threats to him or a special status that could allow him to enter the European Union. It said he was not considered a vulnerable person and that officials therefore decided not to admit him. The service added that it had ensured his health was attended to and provided him with dry clothes after the crossing.