Stanislav Bukain, who escaped from Latvia on a sapboard with a child, has requested asylum in Russia

Latvian citizen Stanislav Bukain, who earlier fled with his daughter to Russia, has filed a request for political asylum in that country, Russian Interior Ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk said.

According to her, Bukain has claimed a threat of criminal persecution in Latvia for an incident that took place in Russia, as well as suspicions of espionage. He also claims that his name is on a list of people against whom criminal proceedings are being initiated in Latvia on suspicion of recruiting people to participate in terrorist actions.

The Migration Service in Pskov has accepted a petition to recognize Stanislavs Bukain and his child as refugees. Volk added that the case is under the control of the Main Directorate for Migration Issues of the Russian Interior Ministry.

Last week, Bukayn and his five-year-old daughter illegally crossed the border with Latvia through the Zilupe River in the Pskov region. Latvian police launched an investigation into the child abduction case, putting the activist and his daughter on an international wanted list. The Russian side received a request for the child's whereabouts through Interpol channels. The girl's mother is receiving support from the Latvian Foreign Ministry.

At the end of last year, Bukayn was charged with running the organization and the Antifascists of the Baltics Telegram channel. He was later released on bail. The case is also being investigated against five other defendants, three of whom are wanted. They face life imprisonment or 10 to 20 years in prison.

The investigation claims that the Antifascists of the Baltics telegram channel was recruiting “partisans” to fight against the “fascist regime” in Latvia, as well as collecting information about Latvian state and public figures who oppose Russia's military action in Ukraine. According to the creators of the channel, this information was to be transmitted to the Russian special services and other agencies to take measures against these persons after the “liberation” of Latvia by Russia.