Norway did not grant asylum to Andrii Medvedev, a former member of the PMC “Wagner”, but he received a renewable temporary residence permit.
This was reported by the militantʼs lawyer Brynulf Risnes in an interview with the Norwegian media Dagbladet.
According to the lawyer, Medvedev received a temporary residence permit in Norway due to the security threat associated with his return to Russia.
Risnes explained that this permit can be extended on a permanent basis, but it does not grant the right to obtain a permanent residence permit or citizenship, and the document has some other limitations.
The Norwegian Migration Board refused to comment on information about Medvedev to Dagbladet, as they are obliged to maintain confidentiality and cannot comment on individual cases.
In Norway, refugee status is granted to those who fulfill the requirements of the relevant Convention and to those who face the death penalty, torture or other types of punishment after returning to their homeland. However, the mass media notes, there are exceptions, in particular for persons guilty of war crimes or other serious crimes.
The militantʼs lawyer says that when Norway was deciding whether Medvedev was eligible for a permanent residence permit, the formal role of the "Wagner Group" in the war was a central issue.
"If he was a soldier of the Russian army, he could have received asylum in Norway, although he participated in hostilities in Ukraine. But since the "Wagner Group" was not formally part of the Russian forces, the Norwegian authorities believe that he should not have protection as a refugee," Risnes explained.
The defender of the former "Wagner" did not agree with Norwayʼs decision regarding his protégé. According to him, although the "Wagner Group" was not formally part of the Russian army during Medvedevʼs service, it nevertheless operated as part of the Russian Armed Forces in the war against Ukraine.
"I therefore believe that he should have full protection as a refugee, so I will appeal against the refusal," he concluded.
- In January 2023, the Russian Andrii Medvedev, the former commander of the PMC "Wagner", illegally crossed the border and asked for asylum. Volodymyr Osyechkin reported that Medvedev crossed the border with Norway in the area of Nickel, Murmansk region. Later, the "Wagnerian" was charged with violence — he got into a fight outside a pub in Oslo.
- Medvedev was released on February 22 after being questioned about the incident. He testified during the interrogation, but pleaded not guilty.
- On April 7, Medvedev was arrested in Sweden. He traveled by bus from Norway to Sweden, because he was told that cigarettes cost half as much there. But the "Wagnerian" does not have a permit to enter Sweden, so he was detained.
- On September 23, 2023, the Norwegian police detained Andrii Medvedev, who had previously fled to Norway, and now tried to illegally return to Russia, because he was afraid that he would be extradited to Ukraine.