"The danger of staying in Russia has not been proven." How European countries are denying asylum to queer refugees from Russia

The publication *Novaya Gazeta Europe* has published an in-depth report on the difficulties faced by Russian LGBTQ+ people when seeking asylum in European Union countries. Despite real threats, violence, and persecution in their home country, immigration authorities are increasingly denying asylum applications, citing the fact that “the danger of returning to Russia has not been proven.”

On Doberman Media, we publish a brief summary of a lengthy article with the author's permission Romana Polyakova, a researcher of queer culture and the creator of the “Queerorama” project. This is an abridged version for our media outlet—featuring the main ideas and conclusions. Read the full text, including all the characters’ stories and a detailed analysis of the legal nuances, on the Novaya Gazeta Europe website by link.

What's going on?

The situation regarding Russians seeking asylum in Europe has become significantly more complicated. The statistics show a sharp drop in the number of approved applications.

For example, in Germany In 2024, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) issued more than 8,000 decisions on cases involving Russian refugees, but Only 10% were approved (415 people). This is nearly 20% lower than the previous year's figures.

The Story of a Family from Germany: Separated by Bureaucracy

One of the most high-profile cases involves a gay couple—Arthur Maximov and his husband Rudolf—who are raising their adopted son, Victor, who has a severe form of cerebral palsy.

In March 2025, both parents were granted refugee status, but their A 26-year-old man was denied asylum. The Migration Service determined that Viktor himself is not a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and therefore he faces no threat in Russia.

The family was, in effect, at risk of being separated. German officials ignored the fact that Victor requires constant care and is officially under his parents’ custody. The family now lives in constant fear of their son’s possible deportation.

Finland: Lawyers' Mistakes and "Insufficient Evidence"

Masha and Kristina, a lesbian couple, have been trying to obtain asylum in Finland for more than three and a half years.

The young women openly engaged in activism in Russia and received direct threats from homophobic “moral guardians,” while the police visited their parents in Russia.

Despite this, a Finnish court ruled in favor of the officials, finding that the danger of staying in Russia had not been proven.

One of the reasons for the rejection was errors made by the legal assistant, who failed to properly prepare the documents, resulting in key evidence in the prosecution’s case (such as the mother’s testimony regarding police visits) not being taken into account.

The Balkan Route and Threats in Armenia

Mark Yakovlev, 19, who fled Dagestan after facing harassment and threats, found that France had changed its rules for issuing humanitarian visas, limiting them to volunteers and well-known activists.

While in Yerevan, Mark continued to receive threats. In October 2025, his girlfriend, Aishat Baimuradova—who had fled Chechnya—was murdered there; the killers sent Mark a voice message promising to find him as well.

Mark's attempt to enter the EU via Croatia was unsuccessful: Croatian border guards refused to let him in, citing a "day off." The young man is currently wanted in Russia under a charge of “discrediting” the army and is forced to go into hiding in Armenia, unable to find legal employment because of his appearance.

Why is this important?

Human rights advocates note that the European migration system often breaks families down into individual cases, without taking into account the safety of their queer loved ones. In refugee camps, LGBTQ+ people often face homophobia from other migrants, which makes their stay there unsafe.

Read the full text of the article, featuring detailed accounts of the protagonists’ stories and an analysis of the legal intricacies, on the “Novaya Gazeta Europe” website: link