He believes that most Russians do not deserve asylum

Since the mid-1990s, human rights activist Bill Browder has been working with Russians and developments in Russia. Since 2005 he has been persona non grata in Russia.

– From a political point of view, I don’t think Russians should be allowed to come to Norway now. It should only be allowed in very special dissident cases, says Bill Browder, author, financier and expert on Russia, to Dagbladet Bok.

Flight over the protest

The Russian connoisseur believes that a large number of Russians are against Putin’s war of aggression in Ukraine, but that he does not dare to do anything about it.

– It’s not about how much opposition there is in Russia, it’s about how brave the people are. You don’t see all these angry men protesting. You see them running away. If most of the Russians had gone out and protested … the war would have ended, Browder believes.

Two weeks ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a escalation of the warand that 300,000 people for the reserve forces must be mobilized. Over the same weekend, over 17,000 Russians crossed the border from Russia to Finland. The Finns feared “an uncontrolled flow of Russians” e closed the border for Russian tourists, as the last EU country.

Angry in the kitchen

Norway is now the only country in Schengen with an open border with Russia. This was recently stated by the Minister of Justice and Emergency Preparedness Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp). it is not relevant to close the border in Norway completely as of now, but that “the government can close the border at Storskog with a few hours’ notice”.

– Putin has never worried about the opposition, because it terrifies the population. Yes, Putin is a brutal and terrible man, but he is also very effective at keeping citizens in their kitchens, says Browder.

Browder knows Russia well, having first built himself as a successful fund manager in his hedge fund, the Hermitage Fund. The corruption and theft he uncovered in Russia started the fight to stop “a small Russian elite who have stolen huge sums from the treasury.” Since 2009, Browder has been one of Putin’s greatest enemies.

– Ukrainians deserve asylum

Last week, human rights activist Bill Browder (58) was in Norway in connection with the book “Cold money. A true story of surviving Putin’s wrathIs published in Norwegian.

– If you look at what is happening now, Russia has created at least five million real refugees, the Ukrainians. They deserve asylum. The Afghans we left with the Taliban also deserve asylum. I don’t think the Russians, who don’t dare stand up to their president, deserve asylum, Browder tells Dagbladet.

He points out that Russia has been engaged in a war of aggression against Ukraine since 2014, which is more than eight years.

– Ukrainians will not give up any territory and will fight to the end to protect their people. Putin cannot afford to lose the war, because he looks like a loser. Then the Russian people would replace him and he would probably die. Therefore, he will continue to add more fuel to the fire, says Browder.