After condemning Latvia’s support for Kyiv, activist moves to Russia and is sent to fight in Ukraine, relatives say

Sergey Mulivanov, a 59-year-old activist from Latvia, moved to Russia two years ago due to his disagreement with the country's policies. He strongly supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine and criticized the Latvian government for aligning closer with the West and restricting Russian influence. Mulivanov ran a blog and wrote for Russian propaganda outlets, eventually obtaining citizenship and working as a courier in the Moscow region.

In April, Mulivanov was arrested and charged with fraud. He maintains his innocence, but his relatives claim he was tricked into signing a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry while in pretrial detention. Late October, he was informed that he would be sent to the front, and despite submitting a written statement withdrawing from the contract, he was taken to Rostov-on-Don against his will in late October.

Reports indicate that he has type 2 diabetes and polyneuropathy, and his health has deteriorated while in pretrial detention. His defense requests for a medical examination have also gone unaddressed.

The Russian authorities offer criminal suspects a choice: face trial or go to fight in Ukraine. Meduza has reported several instances of the Russian government tricking prisoners into enlisting in the military, including a man with an intellectual disability who faced threats and abuse while serving in the army.