The Global Story: They fled Russia. The US sent them back
Summary
This episode of The Global Story examines the increasing deportation of Russian dissidents and deserters from the United States and Europe back to Russia. Reporter Will Vernon profiles individuals like Katya and Artyom, who were sent back to face FSB interrogation, imprisonment, or military conscription after Western governments tightened immigration policies. The segment explores how this shift is eroding trust in the West among Russian opposition figures, who now view Western nations as unsafe havens amid intensifying domestic repression in Russia.
Topics discussed
Sponsorships and introduction to The Global Story
Episode overview: Russian deportees and dissidents
Katya's terrifying return to Moscow on a US flight
Tristan Redman introduces the investigation
Will Vernon explains how he discovered the deportation trend
Context: The 2022 exodus and Western promises of protection
Artyom Vovchenko: A deserter's flight to the US
Political repression and Katya's reasons for fleeing
Evidence submitted by deportees to US authorities
Impact of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown
Speculation on US-Russia motives for deportations
Katya's interrogation and ongoing surveillance in Russia
Varied fates of deportees: prison, front lines, and surveillance
Artyom's detention and despair in military custody
Sponsorship breaks
Rising deportations in EU countries like Germany and Finland
Exiled activists advise against seeking asylum in the EU
Anticipation of a new Russian mobilization wave
US-Russia relations and the political fallout of deportations
Artyom's daring escape from Russia to Belarus
Russian disillusionment with the West and closing remarks
Promotion of BBC midterm coverage and credits
Listen ad-free on Castria