A Russian family, made up of two adults and two teenagers, docked at the port of Saint-Florent in Corsica on Monday August 28. Claiming to be opponents of Vladimir Putin and in danger, they said they wanted to obtain political asylum. They were picked up by the border police to be transferred to Marseille.
This is an unusual situation faced by the harbor master of the port of Saint-Florent, in Corsica, on Monday August 28. A sailboat, with four people on board, showed up there for an unusual reason: of Russian nationality, the family wanted to request political asylum, reports Corse-Matin.
A couple in their forties and their two teenage children reportedly indicated that they were political opponents of Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, and had participated in demonstrators against the invasion of Ukraine. They reportedly felt in danger and fled the country.
According to France Bleu Corse, the family had been sailing for a month after receiving the boat from a Polish smuggler.
The family supported by the PAF
According to Magali Chapey, chief of staff of the prefect of Haute-Corse, interviewed by Corse-Matin, the four Russians say they come from Crimea. She emphasizes that an investigation will be carried out to ensure the veracity of this information.
At the same time, the family was taken in charge by the border police for a transfer to Marseille. In fact, it is not possible to apply for asylum in Corsica, so they must go to the Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture. According to our colleagues from France Bleu, the four Russians have already arrived in the Marseille city.
They now have three months to apply for asylum. The family was informed that they had the right to remain on French soil and to travel there during this period.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, Ofpra (French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons) recorded around 131,000 asylum requests in 2022. Those from Russia jumped by 75% with 2,617 requests, according to www.vie-publique.fr.
Source: BFM TV
