A Latvian activist was reportedly moved toward Russian military service after he and his lawyer refused deployment, while relatives told Ostorozhno, Novosti they had lost contact with him.
Mulivanov, 59, moved from Latvia to Russia in 2024 and served on the council of the Russian Union of Latvia party, The Insider reported. The outlet said he criticized Latvia’s limits on Russian-language use and its support for Ukraine, while backing Russia’s invasion. Acquaintances linked his move to those political disputes, The Insider reported.
Relatives told Ostorozhno, Novosti that he settled in the Moscow region, obtained Russian citizenship and worked as a courier. They said he answered a job listing and did not know that money he carried was stolen.
The Moscow City Courts portal lists a detention-extension matter under Article 159, Part 4, of Russia’s Criminal Code, with a hearing on May 26, 2026, and a ruling that became final June 25. It also has an entry under Part 3; the portal does not say whether that concerns a separate proceeding.
Acquaintances told Ostorozhno, Novosti they believed Mulivanov had been misled into agreeing to military service while held in pretrial detention. His lawyer said a contract with Russia’s Defense Ministry and an accompanying application were signed without dates, then given dates in October 2026. The alleged deception has not been independently verified.
The Insider reported that on Oct. 28 Mulivanov and his lawyer were told his fraud case would be suspended when he was sent to war. Both submitted written refusals, the outlet said.
The Insider reported that after an Oct. 30 court hearing, Mulivanov was taken to Russia’s Investigative Committee. Relatives said their last call with him came afterward, from a bus they understood was headed for Rostov-on-Don. By Nov. 5, they said, six days had passed without contact. No public official statement has confirmed his current military status.
