German authorities are restricting aid to Russians fleeing mobilization or repression, with some now being deported to Russia via third countries, including Serbia and Armenia, according to human rights groups cited by Echo.
Since 2022, when flights between Germany and Moscow were suspended due to the Russia-Ukraine war, deportations were largely limited to direct routes to a person’s home country.
Now, Russians are reportedly being escorted under guard through Belgrade or Yerevan before being sent back, the human rights initiative inTransit told the media.
Those targeted include anti-war and LGBTQ activists, as well as Russians at risk of prosecution for donating to organizations labeled “undesirable,” “extremist,” or “terrorist” by Moscow.
In 2025, Germany deported 22,787 people – a 13.5% increase from 2024 – mostly to Turkey and Georgia. The number of Russians among them is unknown.
Rights groups say deportation procedures have become harsher. Authorities sometimes verify addresses in secret, posing as postal workers, then arrive early in the morning in black unmarked vans. Deportees are given 10-15 minutes to pack, have their phones confiscated, and are escorted in handcuffs to the airport.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has advised citizens to avoid traveling to Germany unless absolutely necessary. At a March 12 briefing, spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Russians in Germany face growing suspicion and hostility, and described an atmosphere of distrust and arbitrary treatment.
Travel by Russians to much of the EU has been increasingly restricted since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Despite these restrictions, Germany remains a major destination for Russians with visas, residence permits, family ties, or humanitarian reasons.