Riga has tightened rules for Russian citizens inside Latvia. Under amendments to the migration law, hundreds must leave the country if they cannot pass a language test, Deutsche Welle reports. 

To legally reside in Latvia, Russian citizens must also apply for permanent residence status and undergo a security check.

Authorities announce specific deadlines

Head of the Citizenship and Migration Affairs Office, Maija Roze, has stated that 841 Russian citizens must leave Latvia by 13 October. The legislative changes were introduced in 2022 in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Impact on the Russian-speaking community

The new rules affect about 25,000 people, of whom roughly 16,000 have already received permanent residence permits, and 1,000 have temporary permits. Individuals without permits are required to leave the country. Authorities report that 2,600 people left voluntarily, and in ten cases, forced deportation was applied.

Earlier, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service Head Sergey Naryshkin warned that Poland and the Baltic states would be the first to suffer in the event of a war between Moscow and the Alliance. 

He claimed that Poland and the Baltic countries are displaying particular aggressiveness toward Russia. As an example, he cited Warsaw’s plan to deploy around anti-tank mines along its borders with Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad region.