2 Estonians who crossed into Russia seeking asylum are jailed on border violation charges

In the winter of 2026, two Estonian citizens independently crossed into Russia within a week of each other, walking across a frozen lake. Both wanted to seek international protection. One believed the Estonian state was subjecting people with special needs to abuse and covering it up. The other did not speak Estonian — despite having lived in the country his entire life — and struggled to find work. Both ended up in a Russian pretrial detention facility, sent there on criminal charges of illegal...