Belgrade: An antiwar activist from Russia who had previously been refused entry and had spent more than a day at the airport in Belgrade was finally allowed entry into Serbia on Friday.
Peter Nikitin claimed he never heard from the authorities about what had happened. Nikitin, an outspoken opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, told Serbian media that he thought Moscow was responsible for his ordeal.
"I don't know how I ended up being unpopular. Putin's orders are the only plausible explanation, he continued. "This shows how much power the Russian regime has over this country."
Also Read: Belarus Confirms Russian Wagner Mercenaries Training Its Troops, Post Failed Mutiny
Serbia has maintained cordial ties with Moscow and refrained from implementing sanctions supported by the West in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, despite the fact that it officially seeks membership in the EU.
Aleksandar Vulin, the head of Serbia's pro-Russian intelligence service, was this week sanctioned by the US for alleged criminal activity, corruption, and support of "Russian malign influence." Vulin has denied reports in Serbian media that he wiretapped a gathering of the Russian opposition in Belgrade in 2021.
Also Read: Unveiling the Unforgettable: 5 Massive Accidents That Shaped History
Nikitin is a dual citizen of Russia and the Netherlands, and he and his family have been living in Serbia for many years. After returning from a trip abroad early on Thursday, he was instructed to go back to Frankfurt, Germany, from which he had flown in. Nikitin declined and remained at the airport in Belgrade until he was granted entry on Friday.
Also Read: Visitors to Death Valley are attracted by the ongoing US heat wave to the hottest place on Earth
As a vocal opponent of Putin and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Nikitin is well known. He participated in the planning of anti-war and pro-democracy demonstrations in Serbia that were demanded by the local Russian and Ukrainian populations.
As Serbia is a fellow Slavic country and does not require Russians to obtain visas in order to enter, approximately 200,000 Russian citizens have relocated there since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine. Many people have relocated their businesses to a nation without sanctions or escaped being drafted into the military.