Russian opposition figures have voiced strong criticism of the European Union’s recent decision to ban multi-entry visas for Russian citizens traveling to the Schengen area. The measure, announced last Friday by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, aims to respond to Russian drone incursions and sabotage activities in Europe. “Starting a war and expecting to move freely in Europe is hard to justify,” Kallas said, framing the restrictions as a security necessity.

Many opposition figures in exile, however, argue that the ban unfairly penalizes ordinary Russians while leaving elites largely unaffected. Ilya Yashin, a Russian opposition politician who was jailed in 2022 for opposing the war in Ukraine and later released in a prisoner swap, said in a telephone interview from Germany that targeting the general population is counterproductive. He noted that Schengen visas were already difficult for Russians to obtain, with some countries such as Poland and Finland refusing entry to Russian citizens without residence permits. Yashin argued that it would be more effective to ally with anti-war Russians and exiles to oppose the Putin regime, rather than imposing broad travel restrictions.

Exiled journalist Sergey Parkhomenko described the EU decision as “extraordinary in its idiocy, ineffectiveness and demonstrative helplessness,” suggesting that European authorities were seeking to act without a clear plan. While individual Schengen countries retain some discretion to issue multi-entry visas in exceptional cases, such as for close relatives, human rights activists, or independent journalists, the measure has already been applied strictly. Hungary, a country generally sympathetic to Russia, has stopped issuing multi-entry visas, and Italy has confirmed it will follow the EU policy, while noting that exceptional cases could be considered if applicants demonstrate integrity and reliability.

The ban has also raised concerns about its impact on opposition media. Elena Kostyuchenko, a Russian journalist in exile, highlighted that multi-entry visas allow for safe in-person coordination with colleagues inside Russia. The new rules could thus hamper reporting and the work of independent media.

Ukrainian officials and some European politicians have supported the ban, emphasizing that Russians should bear some collective responsibility for the war in Ukraine. Kallas described travel to the EU as a privilege rather than a right, while Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said stricter rules were necessary to protect citizens and should have been implemented earlier.

Reactions to the ban have been mixed on social media. Former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves criticized Russians protesting the policy, arguing they seemed more upset about visa restrictions than about the war crimes in Ukraine. Yashin, who served over eight years in prison for social media posts detailing Russian atrocities in Bucha, countered that Ilves’ comments overlooked the severe risks faced by Russians who speak out against the government. Yashin acknowledged that Ukrainians have the moral authority to criticize Russians, but suggested that those in relative safety in offices or abroad cannot claim the same moral standing.