EU Concerned by Upsurge in Russians Seeking Asylum

By RIA Novosti

Dec. 20, 2013

The European Union is concerned by an upsurge in the number of Russians applying for asylum in Europe, the EU envoy to Russia said.

"Their number has almost quadrupled in the second quarter of 2013 as compared with the same period last year," EU Ambassador to Russia Vygaudas Usackas said at a press conference on Wednesday.

He said that more than 23,000 Russians requested asylum in Europe last year, making it the third largest group of asylum seekers after Afghanistan and Syria.

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