We are still urgently seeking support for our very dear friend, Andrei Kazakov, a young scholar who came to the United States on a Fulbright Scholarship who is now fighting for his life and future.

Why We Are Asking for Help

Andrei has applied for asylum in the U.S., but the legal process is enormously expensive. Despite working the maximum hours allowed under his student visa (20 hours/week on campus), he earns less than $20,000 a year—barely enough to cover food, rent, and medical care. He cannot legally work elsewhere, leaving him with no way to manage the financial strain.

Over the past several years, Andrei has taken out small personal loans from friends just to keep up with bills.

This time, though, his situation is far more severe:

We are raising funds to cover these essential legal and travel costs so that Andrei can continue the asylum process and build a safe, stable future in the United States.

Your donation—no matter the amount—directly supports Andrei’s chance to live free from persecution. You are helping protect a young scholar who has already dedicated himself to helping others in crisis. If he is allowed to stay, Andrei would like to continue dedicating himself to teaching as a university professor and pursue a research-related career. Continue reading to learn more about Andrei's story and why he is seeking asylum in the United States.

The Full Story

In summer 2021, Andrei, a Russian citizen, arrived in the U.S. to study at the University for, what he expected would be, one year to finish his Master’s degree. In the first months of Andrei’s second semester at the University, Russia’s war on Ukraine broke out, turning his life upside down.

Driven by a deep sense of urgency and care, Andrei used his skills to support the Ukrainian cause. He volunteered his time as a translator, coder, and social media specialist for a nonprofit that helped resettle Ukrainian refugees across Europe. He worked alongside Ukrainian students on campus to raise awareness of the war’s devastating effects. He donated funds to related charities, signed petitions, gave interviews, and publicly posted U.S. news sources on his personal social media accounts to provide his friends and family back in Russia with real updates that were not controlled by the Russian government. His work made a real difference in the lives of those he was seeking to protect and support.

Today, refusing to be silent about the war has made Andrei a target of persecution if he returns to Russia.

Why Andrei Cannot Return to Russia

Since the start of the war, Russia has charged its citizens with treason for even minimal funds to Ukrainian charities, leading to prison sentences of 12 years to life. Andrei has done this and much more.

In addition to his financial support of Ukraine, Andrei’s Fulbright Scholarship has also branded him a traitor. Andrei has been accused of being a spy for the United States due to his affiliation with Fulbright, a program sponsored by the U.S. federal government that is now banned in Russia. His participation in Fulbright, and his continued presence in the United States as a graduate student participating in the Fulbright community and activities, puts him in danger with the Russian government. Both for his activism and his work as a student, Andrei has great reason to fear the Russian government. Now considered a traitor, he will be sent to prison or the frontlines of the War in Ukraine if he returns to Russia.

Not only will Andrei be subject to torture and severe persecution for his support of Ukraine during his time in the U.S., he now has yet another charge to be concerned with—the draft. On November 11, Andrei received military summons demanding he report to a military office in Russia on November 19 to begin next steps for deployment. Since he failed to do so, upon his return, he will be charged with evading the draft.

There are multiple ways in which Andrei’s life is on the line—there is no option for safe return, only persecution and danger await him. Returning is not an option. For Andrei, it is a matter of life and death.

Thank you for standing with Andrei. The love and support that you all provide are the reason why he still has hope.