These Russians fought for Ukraine. Then, they faced risk of deportation — to Russia

Several Russian volunteers in Ukraine told the Kyiv Independent they were in a legal limbo and faced the threat of effective deportation to Russia. That risk has alarmed lawyers, rights advocates, and members of other Russian volunteer units fighting for Ukraine.

"They will now face danger wherever they go, because the risk of extradition to Russia will be very high," says Volodymyr Yavorskyi, program director of the Center for Civil Liberties, a Ukrainian human rights organization.

Illustration: Karolina Gulshani / The Kyiv Independent