Latvia Moves to Expel Russian Journalist Leonid Ragozin
Foreign Minister Baiba Braže has announced the start of a process to add Russian journalist Leonid Ragozin to Latvia's persona non grata list. He has lived in Latvia for over a decade and previously worked for the BBC.
Latvia on Tuesday began a process to expel a Russian journalist and prominent online commentator who has lived in the country for more than ten years.
Foreign Minister Baiba Braže said that, based on information from the competent authorities and after consulting the prime minister and the interior minister, she had decided to start the procedure to add another Russian citizen to Latvia's list of personae non gratae.
A senior European official with direct knowledge of the case confirmed the person concerned is Leonid Ragozin. He formerly worked for the BBC and has contributed to Bloomberg and POLITICO.
Controversial remarks
In recent days, Ragozin appeared on a podcast hosted by Aaron Maté of The Grayzone, a U.S.-based outlet skeptical of Western support for Ukraine. He said Russia feels compelled to answer assumed Western provocation with "brute force". He argued that Russia sees itself as the underdog, under constant Western pressure that encroaches on its sphere of influence and strategic interests, and that this forces it to respond to hybrid and clandestine actions changing the landscape in the former Soviet Union. The remarks caused anger in Latvia and were widely read as excusing the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine and its hybrid attacks in Europe.
Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava wrote on X that Ragozin serves "Russian interests" and that his remaining free to live in Latvia is untenable. He said persona non grata status is precisely the tool meant for such a case, and that the process had been initiated.
Wider context
The Baltic states have repeatedly urged Europe to take a harder line on Russia. Last month Latvia was the only EU holdout against lifting sanctions on Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov. Ragozin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
