Return to Russia
Last year the US government tried to silence me from speaking out about Russia by seizing my passport and criminalizing my speech. Today I have passport in hand and have returned to Russia.
Aug 10, 2025
The Author visiting Votkinsk, May 2023
On June 3, 2024, I was preparing to board a plane at New York City’s JFK airport that would take me to St. Petersburg, Russia, where I was scheduled to speak at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. From there I was going to embark on a 40-day tour of Russia, engaging in the vital work of citizen diplomacy—waging peace—that I had undertaken since my initial visit to Russia, back in April-May 2023.
It was not to be.
Three armed Customs and Border Patrol agents pulled me aside and, without further explanation, seized my passport.
No charges were made, no allegations of wrongdoing offered.
They simply seized the same passport that I had used for my two previous trips to Russia.
They didn’t even provide a receipt.
It was clear my visiting Russia was deemed a threat by the United States government—at that time headed by the administration of President Joe Biden.
Two months later, scores of armed FBI agents showed up at my home, carrying a search warrant that empowered them to seize my personal electronics.
No charges were made.
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