Aleksei and Mariia Moskalev have been granted political asylum in France. The father and daughter informed the human rights organization InTransit, which had been assisting them.
The family received French humanitarian visas on March 10, 2026. The following day, they flew to Paris from Yerevan, where they had been living.
Aleksei and Mariia left Russia for Armenia in October 2024. According to the report, they were helped by lawyer Dmitry Zakhvatov.
Why they were prosecuted
The family’s persecution in Russia began in April 2022. It was triggered by an anti-war drawing Mariia made during a school lesson.
After that, a case was opened against Aleksei Moskalev for “discrediting” the Russian army. He was later sentenced by a court to two years in a penal colony.
Mariia was first sent to a shelter and later transferred to her mother, with whom, the report says, she had had little contact.
After leaving Russia, living in Armenia, and obtaining humanitarian visas, the family was able to move to France, where they have now received political asylum.