Lithuania to Assess Russian Opposition Leader Leonid Volkov’s Residency Amid Anti-Ukrainian Statements

A significant controversy arose in Lithuania regarding Russian opposition leader Leonid Volkov, who expressed controversial views about Ukraine and its officials, as well as the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) fighting alongside Ukraine against Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Delfi reported on January 6.

His comments, which were seen as aligning with Russian propaganda, led to a public outcry. Volkov, who has resided in Lithuania under political asylum, later regretted his statements and apologized.

In response to reports of RDK commander Denis Kapustin’s death, Volkov stated:

“For once, denazification has actually happened. The Nazi who was a gift to Kremlin propaganda by his very existence has died. With his clownish ‘corps,’ he carried out the murky tasks of the vile rural political strategist Budanov.”

“I hope that Kapustin’s buddies will follow him. Ermak will go down, Podolyak will go down, Budanov will go down, and all the other hypocritical propaganda thieves. And then Ukraine will have a chance to win. But as long as it relies on people like Kapustin, it has no chance.”

The issue sparked a debate in Lithuania about whether his residence permit should be revoked due to national security concerns.

Laurynas Kasčiūnas, Lithuanian leader of the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats, expressed concern, calling Volkov’s rhetoric “dangerous” and a form of political cover for pro-Russian ideologies. He emphasized that Lithuania should not provide shelter to individuals with dubious reputations.

“Lithuania must not become a haven for migrants of all kinds from Russia and Belarus,” Kasčiūnas wrote in a post on Facebook.

“Today, it was announced what L. Volkov, the leader of the opposition group named after A. Navalny, thinks about Ukraine and its freedom,” he continued.

“He humiliated the officers of Ukraine defending itself from Russia, the fighters for its freedom, and called for “imprisoning [the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, and now the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Administration, General] K. Budanov and the rest of the propagandistic, hypocritical thugs,”” Kasčiūnas stressed.

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In response, Lithuanian officials, including Remigijus Motuzas from the ruling Social Democrats, stressed that the situation required further assessment by Lithuania’s State Security Department (VSD).

Motuzas expressed surprise at Volkov’s statements, given his history of fighting against the Putin regime, and called for a more thorough evaluation before any decisions regarding his residency are made.

The Migration Department clarified that it would await the VSD’s assessment before taking any action. If deemed a threat to national security, Volkov’s temporary residence permit could be revoked, as stipulated by Lithuanian law.

Previously, it was reported that Ukraine has emerged as a central pillar of Lithuania’s updated National Security Strategy for 2026, according to an assessment published by Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service.

The draft strategy, prepared by the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense, explicitly states that European security is impossible without an independent, sovereign, and well-protected Ukraine that is fully integrated into the Euro-Atlantic space.

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