Russian Who Swam to Lithuania to Seek Asylum Gets 6 Years in Russian Prison After Return

Oct. 7, 2026 The Lithuanian side of the border with Russia. Lithuanian MOD A Russian man who swam across the Neman River to Lithuania seeking asylum was sentenced to six years in prison after Lithuanian authorities returned him to Russia, media reported. The Baltic Fleet Military Court on Sept. 30 found Igor Odintsov guilty of publicly calling for terrorism, the regional news outlet Russky Zapad reported. He will serve his sentence in a high-security penal colony. The court found that Odintsov had posted messages on a messaging app that portrayed the “ideology and practice of terrorism as correct and deserving of support and emulation.” Investigators also said he held “radical views,” opposed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and had a “negative attitude” toward the Russian authorities. The Lithuanian news outlet Lrytas identified Odintsov, 68, as the Kaliningrad region resident who swam across the Neman on Sept. 17 and sought asylum, saying he faced persecution in Russia over his social media posts. Lithuanian authorities detained him at around 1:50 p.m. local time and returned him to Russia through the Panemune border crossing at 7 p.m. that same day. Odintsov fled to Lithuania on the day he was due to appear in a Russian court over the case. Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service said at the time that it had received no information about threats against him, any special status he held or arrangements for his admission to the European Union. It said he did not fall into a category of vulnerable people and decided to return him to Russia. The border service now says it has “doubts” about whether Odintsov’s statement could be considered a request for protection, saying it “was not expressed clearly and understandably.” Sigitas Šamborskis, chairman of the Lithuanian community in Kaliningrad, said he knew Odintsov and called the Lithuanian authorities’ decision to expel him a “betrayal.” This article was translated with the help of artificial intelligence and was reviewed by a Moscow Times editor before publication. Learn more about our newsroom's AI policy here. Read this article in Russian at The Moscow Times' Russian service. Read more about: Lithuania , Court case Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more opinion 'Russia Will Emerge From the Darkness': Memorial Co-Chair Orlov's Final Word in Court Oleg Orlov, one of the only anti-war voices to have remained in Russia without being jailed, was fined Wednesday for his criticism of the invasion of Ukraine... 7 Min read Russian Court Rejects U.S. Reporter Gershkovich’s Appeal of Extended Detention Evan Gershkovich will remain in custody until at least Nov. 30 after his appeal was rejected. 1 Min read Suspect in Russian Tainted Oil Scandal Seeks Political Asylum in Lithuania The contamination was discovered in April and led to a major disruption of supplies from Russia. Adidas Pulls Soviet-Themed Shirts After International Criticism Lithuania's MFA accused Adidas of “imperial nostalgia” for releasing a women’s jersey with “USSR” printed on it.