Author: Connection e.V.

CHURCH ASYLUM FOUND • Thank You All for Your Support!

8th June 2026

Last week, we reached out to our network for support in organizing a sanctuary (Kirchenasyl). The response to this call was overwhelming: numerous people contacted us with calls, emails, connections, and concrete offers of assistance.

Thanks to this great commitment, we were able to organize a sanctuary within a very short time. We are deeply impressed by how many people were willing to take responsibility and act in solidarity.

The past few days have been marked by intensive coordination and many necessary arrangements. For this reason, we were unfortunately unable to respond to every message personally. However, we would like to explicitly emphasize how much we appreciate every single piece of feedback and every offer of support.

Our heartfelt thanks go to everyone who got involved, shared contacts, or offered their support. This strong sign of solidarity is encouraging and shows how much can be achieved together.

Thank you for your support!
Your «Connection e.V.» team

Latvian Court Grants Protection for the First Time to a Russian Conscript Due to the Risk of Military Service and Participation in the War

28th May 2026

The Administrative Regional Court in Riga has ordered Latvian authorities to grant refugee status to a Russian citizen who feared being conscripted into military service and potentially participating in the war against Ukraine.

The court overturned the previous decision by migration authorities, citing the new report from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) on the situation of vulnerable groups in Russia, which was published in December 2025. Artem Klyga, the Eastern Europe Program Coordinator at «Connection e.V.», contributed as an expert in the preparation of the section on military service.

The court determined that even regular military service in Russia could, with a high degree of probability, lead to participation in combat operations and that refusal to serve could entail criminal consequences. The applicant had not previously received a draft notice, nor was he militarily registered in Russia.

This decision could become a significant precedent for asylum procedures for Russian conscientious objectors and individuals threatened by mobilization.