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After the recent prisoner exchange, Germany's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) advised its citizens not to travel to Russia.
"In our travel and security recommendations, we warn, in particular, about the risk of arbitrary arrests," the German Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
About 1300 German citizens who declared their stay in the Russian Federation are registered in the anti-crisis list of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, although it is assumed that the number of Germans and people with dual citizenship in Russia is actually much higher.
According to the German Foreign Ministry, "a double-digit number of Germans" are currently in prisons in Russia. They also include people with dual citizenship. The Russian authorities have been denying them consular access for over two years.
It will be recalled that at the beginning of April, the German Foreign Ministry already called on citizens to refrain from traveling to the Russian Federation. Then the list of "dangers" that await the Germans in the Russian Federation increased. In addition to "arbitrary arrest", it included: the risk of terrorist attacks, theft of personal belongings in tourist centers, the distribution of drugs in clubs, the risk of becoming a victim of sexual violence, as well as the risk of attacks on LGBT representatives during "public displays of affection".
Exchange of prisoners between the Russian Federation and the West
On August 1, a large-scale exchange of prisoners between the Russian Federation and a number of Western countries (the USA, Germany, Poland, Slovenia and Norway) took place in Ankara. A total of 26 people were exchanged. The Kremlin regained the killer Vadym Krasykov and the spies Anna and Artem Dultsev.
In exchange for them, Russia released Ilya Yashin and Volodymyr Kara-Murza, The Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Hershkovich, Alsa Kurmanasheva, a journalist from the Tatar-Bashkir service of Radio Svoboda. In addition, ex-Marine Paul Whelan was traded, as well as German citizen Patrik Schebel.
