From Lenta.ru:
Russian Émigré Attempted to Sail to the US from France on a raft
On January 11th, police detained Russian citizen Andrei Novosyelov onboard a home-made raft in the southwest of France, Agence France-Presse reports.
Novosyelov, whom France earlier refused to grant refugee status, was floating along the river Tet towards the Mediterranean Sea, trying to get to the US via Spain in the hopes of receiving political asylum. According to L’Independent, a stock of dried fruits and nuts were found on board.
According to the newspaper, this is not Novosyelov’s first attempt to sail away from France. In August of 2013, French law enforcement detained him under similar circumstances, accusing him of disruption of public order. The court called for him to be released, and ordered Novosyelov to leave the country.
Novosyelov earlier claimed that he does not plan to return to Russia, as there his life is in danger, and intends to receive political asylum in France or the USA. As L’Independent reports, Novosyelov was a journalist in Russia, and was subject to persecution, torture, and imprisonment as a result of his political and religious views. It was not stated with which publication he worked for. In 2006, having left Russia, he appealed to French authorities to grant him political asylum.
Comments from Lenta.ru:
laser:
A typical Russian hipster with a phone (this automatically makes him a journalist) rushing to the promised land (thanks to Hollywood films, he’s sure that everything’s awesome there)
Папа Смурф: (responding to above)
And his knowledge of geography is typical for a hipster.
Further comments from News2.ru:
Qwerty2:
Bon Voyage
X86:
Strange, since it’s kind of closer from Russia to the US. Cross the Bering Strait to Alaska, and you can already get political asylum. And then move to other states.
Comments from the Pora Valit [Time to Get Out of Here] LiveJournal community:
erew21:
There aren’t any other “sensational stories” today or there’s just nothing to talk about in general?
Si_99:
On a raft? Across the Atlantic? In Winter? This guy has serious mental problems, it would be better to return him to the motherland, to Rashka
Cosmonova76: (responding to above)
Why such disrespect towards the land that gave birth to you?
Baruh_weisemann: (responding to above)
Land? Gave birth? Good lord, what kind of wild paganism in these Russians’ heads
Cosmonova76: (responding to above)
In your opinion, where did your body get all these elements to support life? When I say land I mean the country with the glorious name Russia!!! God, how stupid these americunts are!
[Note: “americunts” is a a deliberate misspelling of the Russian for “Americans” which sounds quite similar.]
oldboar:
Why did they have to detain him? Should have let the sharks give him permanent residence
Edroovna:
There’s no basis to not believe his words. Everything’s possible in this country.
Panda_nox: (responding to above)
In this country – you mean France, which sent him away with his request for asylum?
Edroovna (responding to above)
No, we all have the same country.
