This is pretty clearly a massive violation of the UN human rights convention.
They already stripped and/or barred Russians from becoming citizens a few years back, so this kind of follows that trajectory.
The argument from Lithuania as I understand it that purging Russians reduces the ‘protecting Russians abroad’ narrative from Putin. Though it does mean one less place where Russians who oppose Putin can go while also displacing potentially thousands of Russians into Putin’s other narrative that western/NATO powers are out to get them.
Hope this maneuver pays off, I guess.
Bravo Lithuania! The rest of the EU and ECC should do the same until Russia somehow becomes a normal country.
At least one member of the EU has balls.
As a lithuanian: woo! Yeah! That’s what we’re talking about, that’s what it’s all about! Woo! 🇱🇹🇱🇹🇱🇹
I dunno chat, as a Lithuanian (as if it matters) this feels like a bit of an over reach in a war on terror in US type of way. This isn’t the only law that explicitly targets Russians/Belarussians as a security threat that has been enacted.
These people are often just nationals, citizens of their country and not automatically foreign agents. If they were here doing espionage, they would report back using encrypted channels on the internet which is much cheaper than traveling back and forth. If they were smuggling tools for terrorism like bombs, it’s much easier to smuggle them over the border or even obtain them locally than having the foreign agent themselves smuggle.
I can’t help but view it as discriminatory in a similar way how Muslim and Arab populations were treated post-9/11, it just doesn’t make much sense unless I’m missing something.
Same. I’m in western europe, I have a couple friends who are Russian and oppose the invasion.
The male ones haven’t gone back to see their family because they fear conscription.
Those who can go back to see family are super cautious and scared because they don’t wanna be sent to gulag.
It’d be a shame if they got another barrier to going home they had to worry about.
Much cheaper, but not more secure.
Excluding that, if my country had started a territorial way of aggression, and I was now living in a country that’s been threatened by said country in the recent past as well, I wouldn’t be traveling back, let alone often.
Combined with actual continual examples of Russians not only spying but carrying out assassinations in foreign countries (like the UK) and sabotaging infrastructure almost every month, and if anything, this is pretty light retaliation.
You personally wouldn’t travel back and forth, but this doesn’t necessarily apply to everyone - there were and still are a decent amount of Russian nationals working/living here with their families, distant or otherwise, still living back home in Russia/Belarus. No matter your nationality, you might want to go back to your home country and visit your family. What if there’s an emergency/funeral you have to attend after visiting? It might not be a valid reason to go back (given how vague the articles are), and you might lose your residence because of it. It’s only one example of course, but there definitely are more scenarios like this one.
Also, reading one of the news articles, counter-terrorism prevention isn’t even mentioned once, and it wouldn’t make sense given how I already outlined how it would be easier to get tools for terrorism locally, much safely too given how you don’t have to go through security that scrutinizes you more due to war-time, not to mention it doesn’t prevent terrorism from foreign agents who don’t own a residence here. If anything, the article mentions how these methods are there to further sanction Russia, to show solidarity to Ukraine and “limit specific Russian/Belarusian citizen rights”.
Those legit people can apply for citizenship.
This is lithuania not russia. Russia needs to make living comfortable for russians, not lithuania. Lithuanias job is to provide security for it’s citizens and ensure the survival of lithuanian culture. There is citizenship for people who like that and want that, no matter what country you frequent.
You need 10 years of residence before you can apply, and from what I hear from friends it’s not a sure thing. So you may be stuck living as a resident for much longer than that.
Is it fair to not being able to go see your relatives for years/decade+? I’d pay that price for getting out of russia (well I already am paying it, albeit not to Lithuania) doesn’t make it right tho.
But then again, as long as ru/br immigrants are still able to enter, live and obtain citizenship, can’t really be mad at the baltics they’re in a tough position.
Its a bit rough but other than "stip zigzagging across rhe border constantly* it’s not a big deal and not a real restriction. I went home like twice a year when I lived abroad.
The fanatic Russophobia and scaremongering is rampant.
Don’t expect people to be reasonable.Ah yes. The country with a main channel having a programme that openly discusses nuking countries. With Meidviedev openly calling for annexation of baltic states. Beliteling other countries.
Country that occupied a lot of Europe and denied independence
Country that invaded Georgia.
Country that annexed Crimea.
Country that genocides Ukraine.
Russophobia came out of nowhere.
russia. The country that did nothing wrong.
Pretty much, Russia has definitely earned the reputation even back when it was being “socialist” - it’s an imperialist hellhole, one that also meddles in today’s politics by funding far-right parties like AfD.
Though, I personally take issue when the russophobia doesn’t stop at targeting the state and its ruling class who made these decisions, but to the Russian working class as well, all of whom are getting exploited in the standard capitalist fashion but also a section being conscripted to kill and die for their ruling class benefit and their imperialist interests. That’s why it doesn’t feel right to me when a country targets Russian nationals with discriminatory laws in a fashion that’s not too different from 9/11’s treatment of Arab people that most of us can agree was wrong.
Removed by mod
Thank you for going mask off so we can all block you 🙃
Removed by mod
russia is a nazi state.
Bunch of fascists
“Bunch of fascists”
How so?
Targetting minorities is a fascist practice no matter what the excuse.
Targetting minorities is a fascist practice no matter what the excuse.
Inaccurate, this is superseded by “Targeting fascists is always correct”
Removed by mod
russia is a nazi state.
Removed by mod
cool. Still nazi state.
It’s not a minorty when the countries had schools for russians, monuments celebrating russians killing lithuanians, entire communities who were brought in to replace genocided lithuanians and they now threaten every month to come back and genocide more lithuanians.
This is survival. We were nice for 30 years and all it got us is “were going to kill every fucking last one of yo, again” from the neighbours we were nice to.
But cry more how a dying culture of a million is facist for erasing russian culture by not giving special rights to its citizens who gained it theough occupation and crimes against humanity.
Removed by mod
Putinist.
Removed by mod
Cartoon villain shit
Cartoon villain shit is russia not paying pensioners in baltic countries their hard-earned pensionst and blaming the baltic states for that and using that to justify genocide, invasion, torture, rape, theft and murder.
Russia fucking with the whole world out of an inferiority complex fuelled envy? Then yes.
Does taking out your anger on random civilians help?
As of May 3, citizens travelling back to Russia and Belarus must have documented a valid reason for additional trips within the three month timeframe.
“Well you shouldve thought of your cousins wedding before going to your nephews birthday”
Like imagine being able to visit your own country 4 times a year and every other visit can be denied by some disgruntled bureaucrat who doesn’t think visiting a wedding is a valid reason.
Genuinely how does this help anyone except just hurt russians. Reeks of russophobic “cruelty is the point”.
Stop watching RT, no one has an irrational fear for Russia.
They do casually joke about invading Europe on national TV
Sadly I live in a country that hates free speech and is rabidly anti-palestinian and anti-russian so I cant watch RT. Not that I even have a TV.
RT among other news is forbidden here in so democratic western Europe bcs they decided we’re not capable of judging what is real news.
It’s forbidden because it constantly shoves misinformation, redirection and whataboutism.
You are not immune to propoganda, mate. No one is.
What is this article supposed to prove?
And should I start with the laughable garbage the ukros or western press claim?If you follow the war you’ll know that Russians denied NK troops for a long time. And after some time they just memory-hole it.
Everyone has their propoganda, but Russia’s is just laughably bad beyond belief, because they are fire-hosing that shit.
Because too big part of the population really is not capable of that.
And who decides they should be the judge of that?
The Russian shills are out in force. If Russia continues to ratchet up their aggression, don’t blame Western nations from restricting trade and travel with Russia. You think citizens of a country should be able to travel to any hostile foreign nation?
the force: me and some other random commenter lol
Have you considered complaining about Russia ruining international relations with their neighbors, which has led to this situation? It’s not like those countries have a fundamental hatred of Russia. They would love it if Russia could be a normal ally because it would be immensely beneficial. It’s Russia who can’t be a fucking normal ally. It’s not Lithuania who is building spy networks in Russia or bribing corrupt officials, it’s Russia doing those things to Lithuania. And not just Lithuania, it’s all Baltic states and Poland and Russian money goes even deeper into Europe.
It sucks for Russians that Lithuania has done this but it’s ultimately Russia’s own fault Lithuania had to do this. If there’s anyone you or Russians should blame, it’s Russia. You can’t just push countries around and expect them to not do anything about it.
If they want to visit all those exciting events in “their own country”, they might as well move back there. Surely the cost of living in Russia will be lower than in EU. Unless they don’t actually want to live in Russia, they just want to love it from afar.
Imagine living in a neighboring country for work but not being able to take your kid to see their grandparents more than 4 times a year.
Or marrying a foreign national and living with them or any of the myriad of other reasons that makes someone move to another country. But your limited imaginination can only come up with one scenario and therefore it must be the only reason for why a (bela-)russian might not live in their home counrty.
Go back to where you came from if you like it so much
a european liberal
Sounds like the answer to all of them is the same as the guy you’re replying to mentioned: they move back to Russia, or stay in Lithuania. Choose and commit. Sorry that you’re losing out, but Lithuania doesn’t owe you anything.
If my country started fucking with a neighbour, I wouldn’t blame them for pushing against it. Also seems like plenty of Americans who are against Trump seem to be all for other countries countering.
So abandon your work, force your lithuanian spouse to move, uproot your kids or see your extended family almost never again. Sorry you’re losing out bud sucks for you I guess, not Lithuanias problem though we just make the laws forcing you to choose.
Also seems like plenty of Americans who are against Trump seem to be all for other countries countering.
Plenty of Americans against Trump are still not opposed to the genocide in Gaza. There’s a significant portion of Against Trumpers who were on board with the Iraq invasion, Liz Cheney comes to mind for instance. Here’s a protip: If the americans want you to fight a war its not because they care for you…
edit: still waiting on a reason for how this helps lithuania even if there were a national security threat
Yes, unironically.
If you think you should be allowed as a russian to live in a country russia is engaging in psyops, social destabilization, and some cases even open warfare against, you should be fucking forced to decide. Do you want to stay where you are and have been welcomed despite all your country’s bullshit then do so and blame your relatives at home because they don’t make it stop. Blame yourself as well because you dodged that bullet for a good life elsewhere.
All more logical and reasonable than to expect your host country to roll over and take it for your convenience, especially when most of the russians living elsewhere are just as indoctrinated as those at home and are often willing assets for the russian hybrid campaigns, espionage and sanction evasions. No victim nation of russian aggression can be faulted for trying to protect themselves from a new kind of warfare.
Russians that wholeheartedly condemn what their country is doing probably aren’t travelling that often to russia, for fear of being arrested. Thus, the ones regularly crossing the border are likely the ones that either support russia, or are suspiciously silent. Obviously, these are people we don’t really want in the country anyway, because they’re terrible people. That’s before we bring in the security aspect of allowing russians that are supportive of a potential invasion of the country to stay in the country. Those people are a sabotage and intelligence risk.
Any russian that doesn’t explicitly oppose the current russian regime is complicit. Even more so if they live in a country with free speech. There are plenty of videos online where you can see the preferred methods of dealing with russians engaged in invasions - why not extend the treatment to those supporting them?
Yes, actually. Believe it or not, every Russian and Ukrainian had to make that choice already, and WITHOUT the 1 in 3 months visit option. This is a pretty small problem by comparison. Also, nitpick, but doesn’t a couple eventually move into one place anyway?
Plenty of Russians are still not opposed to the war with Ukraine. I suppose we’re at a standstill, then.
As for pros of doing so, the article says it, potential sabotage. We already have had troubles at the Poland/Belarus border for years, so this seems fair to me. Could also be specifically preventing Russians working in Lithuania and then heading back to take advantage of/boosting Russian economy.
They have fascists and a fascist-lite party.
Fuck that country
Oh, so we’re going straight to insults to my mental state, huh. I wonder why your unlimited imagination still struggles to understand why it might not be a good idea to visit a country at war often. Especially a country that’s broken every truce that it ever promised to uphold and still aims to expand its territory to former imperial ambitions.
And here I was thinking I shouldn’t judge one account just because they have a hexbear alt.
It was the Banderites who broke the Minsk accords.
And the US who unilaterally ended the missile treaties.I guess that makes Putin a Banderite then
as if you started with a civil and restrained tone lmao
I wonder why your unlimited imagination still struggles to understand why it might not be a good idea to visit a country at war often. Especially a country that’s broken every truce that it ever promised to uphold and still aims to expand its territory to former imperial ambitions.
I assume visiting the US or Israel is still a-ok though?
And here I was thinking I shouldn’t judge one account just because they have a hexbear alt.
I keep forgetting hexbear is (used to be?) an alt and that I was saying the same shit like you all… How time flies 🤷
I assume visiting the US or Israel is still a-ok though?
No, no it’s not. Though you do like to assume a lot, it seems
Western ‘values’
How do you know they are random civilians?
Keep in mind there is some rather interesting research on attitudes towards the full scale invasion of Ukraine among russian-speaking individuals in the Baltic nations.
Russophobia is a made up concept. There is no irrational fear or hate involved. Taking a sober attitude is not irrational.
Because it targets every Russian and Belarusian citizen.
All concepts are made up, thats what makes them conceptual. Whether or not theres hate involved well… I’ve seen the language used here
So what that it targets every russian citizen? When you have a county where 85% support annexations and invasions of your neighbour, this is a reasonable approach.
With this topic as well there is some great research with preference falsification testing which is damning for the russians. So don’t bring up the old canard about “they are all afraid!!!”
That’s a cop out on your part. Russophobia as parroted by russians is more of a propaganda polemic. When you have a society defined by genocidal imperialism, it is reasonable to take a sober attitude towards them.
Okay so we went from “how do you know it targets random civilians?” to “So what if it targets random civilians?” well at least you’re being honest about your disregard for them I suppose… Really feeling the sober attitude.
I would love to see that statistic where 85% of Russians in Lithuania support annexation or invasions of Lithuania, it’s gonna be a wild read I’m sure
Oh no, citizens of a non-shengen zone and an agressive neighbour actively threatening invasion of you and currently invading another european country now need to have paperwork in order to travel constantly to your country.
Poor citizens, latvia sure is big evil nazi genocide nation threatening existance of every russian with that move.
You are not human, you are a russian propaganda bot.
You can look up polling of russian language users in the Baltics regarding the full scale invasion of Ukraine. It is easy to find. Not a very good result for your argument.
Whether you poll russians in russia or russian in other countries, the results are damning. This also applies to other research methodologies (both quantitative and qualitative).
It’s a fucking stupid attitude to actively enable those who wish you harm.
Btw, your not doing the russians any favour by spreading their victimhood narratives.
Yes, better getting invaded than slightly inconvenience people. /s
cartoon henchman shit
“Cruelty is the point” isn’t russophobic. It’s at the core of every conservative and far right ideology. That very much includes genocidal fascist states like Russia or Israel
If you’re being cruel to russians because you fear some invasion, even though there are no hints that anything of the sort is happening, in a way that wouldn’t even hinder such a made-up invasion then its pointless. And pointless cruelty targetting russians is russophobic.
Nobody’s being cruel to Russians. There are no hints that anything of the sort is happening.
Nice bait
Fuck off and go live in your shit-fest if you dont like it.
