Number of Russian Residents in Lithuania High Despite Visa Ban

According to the Lithuanian authorities, more Russian citizens moved to the country last year, especially during the period when the war in Ukraine just started, thus presenting a threat to national security, as the government claims, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.

The national broadcaster of Lithuania, LRT, explains that a Russian citizen who did not want to be identified due to safety concerns said that he decided to move to Lithuania from Moscow last year after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The Russian citizen said that even though Lithuania applies strict rules for citizens of Russia, he plans on staying in the country and, at the same time, stressed that he is learning the language so he can be integrated more quickly.

“It is very important to know Lithuanian because you need to integrate. You need to earn respect in this country,” the Russian citizen said.

The Russian citizen further disclosed that it was not difficult for him to enter Lithuania as he had a valid Schengen visa when he decided to leave his country. At the same time, he said that he picked Lithuania without much thinking as he felt secure.

“I picked Lithuania naturally, I feel most secure here. This is a country that understands that the current policy is unacceptable and has long warned Europe and the world about the dangers of the Russian regime,” the statement of the Russian citizens reads.

Data provided by the Migration Department of Lithuania show that in 2022, the number of Russian citizens who applied for a residence permit halved compared to 2021, reaching almost 4,000 applications.

LRT explains that the number of those who have been granted residence also doubled, with around 1,000 Russian citizens receiving such a document permitting them to reside in Lithuania in the first four months of this year.

Commenting on the figures, the head of the Migration Department of Lithuania, Evelina Gudzinskait?, said that the number of Russian citizens living in Lithuania has significantly increased compared to 2021. Gudzinskait? revealed that in 2021, under 13,000 Russians were living in Lithuania, whereas at the beginning of this year, almost 16,000 Russian citizens were living in the country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania announced in May of last year that it would no longer issue visas to citizens of Russia as part of its response against the war in Ukraine. Since then, Lithuania has not been accepting visa applications for Russians.