In the decisions, the Ministry of Migration in Lithuania has, among other things, taken into account responses from a survey in which citizens of Russia and Belarus residing in Lithuania have been asked questions about their views on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the status of the Crimean peninsula. Other information has also been weighed in, according to the ministry.
Those who lose their residence permits are only a fraction of all Russians and Belarusians living in Lithuania. According to official figures, 58,000 Belarusian and 16,000 Russian citizens live in the country and their residence permits are reviewed every or every three years.
Many of those who settled in Lithuania are regime critics who fled repression in Belarus and Russia. Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tichanovskaya says she is in contact with Lithuanian authorities to prevent “innocent people not associated with the regime from being affected”.
Those who lose their residence permit have the opportunity to appeal the decision. Otherwise, they have one month to leave the country.
On Friday, Lithuania also announced that the country plans to close two of its six border crossings with Belarus, due to concerns about the presence of Wagner soldiers in the neighboring country. Parts of the private army Wagner have been received in Belarus after a failed coup in Russia in June.