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Leonid Ragozin says Latvian authorities notified him on October 13 that he is being expelled after living in Latvia for 12 years. He calls the decision political persecution, while Latvia has not publicly named him or detailed the grounds for the action.
Russian journalist Leonid Ragozin says Latvia notified him on October 13 that he is being expelled, ending a 12-year stay in the country. Latvia’s government has not publicly identified him as the person targeted or published specific grounds for the decision, leaving Ragozin’s account as the public source of key details about his notice.
Ragozin announced the notification on social media on October 14. “I can now confirm that yesterday I was notified of my expulsion from Latvia where I lived for 12 years,” he wrote. He said the notice did not cite “any specific misdemeanors or statements” that prompted the decision. Ragozin also said authorities had declared him persona non grata.
He described the expulsion as political persecution and attributed it to what he called “long-brewing revenge” by far-right politicians over his reporting and commentary. He said he believed the decision was also punishment for his commentary on Russia’s war against Ukraine and for his investigation into the killing of journalist Pavel Sheremet. Those explanations are Ragozin’s claims; the published reporting does not include an official Latvian account addressing his allegations.
Latvian media reported in early October that the Foreign Ministry had begun proceedings to designate “another Russian citizen” persona non grata. Foreign Minister Baiba Braže said at the time that the decision was based on information from competent authorities and followed consultations with the interior minister and prime minister. The ministry did not publicly name the person. Latvian news outlet Delfi reported that the person was Ragozin.
A Journalist Faces Expulsion
The case affects a journalist who has lived in Latvia since leaving Russia after its 2014 annexation of Crimea. Expulsion would require him to leave the country, although the material available does not specify a departure deadline, his next destination, or whether he can challenge the decision.
It also leaves a gap between the government’s stated basis for the action and the journalist’s public account. Braže said the decision followed information from state authorities, but the underlying information and any specific conduct cited against Ragozin have not been made public in the reporting. His allegation that the move is retaliation remains unverified. The distinction matters: the expulsion is reported by Ragozin, while the motive he assigns to it has not been established independently.
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From Russia to Latvia
Ragozin worked in Russia as a correspondent and producer for BBC Russia from 1998 to 2013 and as an editor at Russian Newsweek magazine. He also collaborated with Lonely Planet. The source report says he moved to Latvia after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
In more recent years, he has worked with Al Jazeera, Jacobin and The American Conservative. Before Ragozin identified himself as the subject of Latvia’s action, early-October reports described the target only as another Russian citizen. The public sequence is therefore: Latvian outlets reported a pending designation, Braže cited information from competent authorities, Delfi named Ragozin, and Ragozin later said he had received formal notice.
““I can now confirm that yesterday I was notified of my expulsion from Latvia where I lived for 12 years.””
— Leonid Ragozin, writing on social media
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Grounds and Appeal Remain Unclear
The source material does not include the full expulsion notice, a formal public announcement naming Ragozin, or a detailed explanation from Latvian authorities. It is therefore unclear what legal grounds the government invoked, what information it relied on, and whether the action restricts his ability to remain in Latvia while contesting it. No response from officials to Ragozin’s allegations of political retaliation is included in the report.
Ragozin says he was declared persona non grata and objects to that designation, but the available account does not set out the legal process or its specific consequences in his case. His claims about the decision’s motive should be distinguished from the confirmed reporting that Latvia began a process against an unnamed Russian citizen and that he says he received an expulsion notice.
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Response and Departure Timeline
The next developments to watch are whether Latvian authorities publicly confirm that Ragozin is the person named in the earlier reports, disclose the grounds for the decision, or clarify when he must leave. Ragozin may also provide more details about the notice or any steps he plans to take in response, but the source material does not report a stated appeal or legal challenge.
Until either side provides further information, the immediate status is based on Ragozin’s account of receiving notice and the earlier statements from Latvian officials about the designation process. The timing of any departure and the outcome of any possible challenge remain unknown.
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Key Questions
Who is Leonid Ragozin?
Leonid Ragozin is a Russian journalist who worked for BBC Russia and Russian Newsweek and later collaborated with Al Jazeera, Jacobin and The American Conservative. He says he has lived in Latvia for 12 years.
When did Latvia notify Ragozin?
Ragozin said on October 14, 2026, that he received the notice the previous day, October 13.
What reason did Latvia give for expelling him?
The published account does not include a detailed official explanation naming Ragozin or specifying the grounds. Ragozin says his notice did not cite specific misdemeanors or statements. Foreign Minister Baiba Braže had earlier said the process was based on information from competent authorities.
Has Latvia confirmed Ragozin’s identity as the target?
Latvian outlets reported that an unnamed Russian citizen was the subject of the process, and Delfi identified that person as Ragozin. Ragozin then said he received notice. The source material does not include a public Latvian government statement naming him.
What happens next?
The public reporting does not state a departure deadline or whether Ragozin will challenge the decision. Further details depend on any clarification from Latvian authorities or additional information from Ragozin.
Source: rss
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