The Russian Embassy in Canada refused to admit Russian woman Elena Pushkareva because of a “security threat to the foreign institution.” The reason was her subscription to the Facebook group “Forces of Goodness of Ottawa and Winnipeg for a Beautiful Russia of the Future” and participation in political actions in Ottawa, Pushkareva told Novaya Gazeta – Story.
Pushkareva signed up for the Russian Embassy on January 18, 2023. On the morning of that day, an unknown man called her and said that she had been denied consular services. Pushkareva went to the consulate anyway, but the door was not opened for her. According to her, the embassy staff referred to the verbal order of the ambassador to Ottawa, Oleg Stepanov, and offered to contact the ambassador personally.
Pushkareva considers the refusal of Russian diplomats to provide services unlawful and sent a letter to Stepanov asking him to give a reasoned answer to her problem. There has been no response yet.
The consular department at the Russian embassy in Ottawa told Novaya Gazeta that Pushkareva was denied access to the consular department, which diplomats called a “security institution,” rather than providing services. The institution did not specify how a Russian citizen can receive a service without being in the building.
- The Facebook group “Forces of Goodness of Ottawa and Winnipeg for a Beautiful Russia of the Future” was created by Russian activists in Ottawa in January 2021 after the return of politician Alexei Navalny to Russia from Germany, where he was being treated after being poisoned with Novichok poison. Then the Russians began to go to agreed-upon rallies for the release of political prisoners.
