Moscow alleges US targeting of Russians in Thailand

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has issued a travel advisory urging its citizens to exercise “extreme caution” when travelling to Thailand for business or leisure, saying they face a heightened risk of detention or arrest at the request of US law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

The advisory specifically targeted individuals who believe they may be vulnerable to criminal prosecution by US, urging them to avoid travelling to or transiting through Thailand, which maintains a bilateral extradition treaty with the United States.

In a strongly worded statement, Moscow accused Washington of launching what it described as a “hunt” for Russian nationals abroad.

“Unfortunately, this friendly country, popular with Russian tourists, remains one of the places where Washington has launched a veritable ‘hunt’ for Russians,” the statement warned.

The timing of the warning closely follows recent legal developments involving other Russian nationals detained in Thailand.

Earlier this week, suspected Russian hacker Denis Obrezko made his initial appearance in a US court after his arrest in Thailand late last year.

The ministry cited the high-profile 2008 arrest of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout in Bangkok.

Bout was subsequently extradited to the United States and spent more than a decade in federal prison before being released in a 2022 prisoner swap for US basketball star Brittney Griner.

The ministry stated that US authorities were acting aggressively by conducting operations to capture Russian citizens while “disregarding Thai authorities”.

According to the Russian government, detainees face intense psychological pressure and intimidation from US intelligence agencies aimed at extracting confessions.

The ministry added that Washington’s “punitive justice system” had intensified its focus on Russians following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Despite the alarming diplomatic rhetoric, industry representatives downplayed the threat to ordinary travellers.

The Association of Tour Operators of Russia stated that ordinary tourists face no such risk of arrest on third-party warrants, describing such cases as extremely isolated incidents.

Thailand remains an immensely popular destination for Russian tourism, attracting more than 1.8 million Russian visitors annually.

The Russian Foreign Ministry advised citizens travelling abroad to keep the contact details of local diplomatic and consular missions readily available, promising that Russian officials would continue to provide maximum assistance to citizens in distress.