On December 3rd, a young man from Fujian, Long Xiangyu, posted a video on social media revealing an incident in which he was extorted by Russian police in Moscow on the first day of China-Russia visa exemption (December 1st). Despite holding a valid visa, Long Xiangyu was forced to pay 30,000 rubles in cash. He refused to pay and was then detained in an armored prison vehicle with barbed wire and taken to the police station. Subsequently, the police demanded 15,000 rubles, and after bargaining, Long Xiangyu ended up transferring 8,000 rubles to the police in order to be released.
In the video, Long Xiangyu described that he arrived in Moscow on November 21st with a valid 30-day electronic visa and was staying with his uncle who is pursuing a Ph.D. He was scheduled to return to China on December 2nd.
On the evening of December 1st, the first day of China-Russia visa exemption, after leaving a store with his uncle, a local police officer suddenly approached them and requested to see their identification. After inspecting their documents, the police demanded to see their residency permits.
While the uncle presented his residency permit, Long Xiangyu explained that he was just a tourist staying with his uncle for a few days. The police then forcibly directed Long Xiangyu towards a large armored prison vehicle with barbed wire and threatened him, claiming he had committed a serious offense and would be imprisoned. They demanded 30,000 rubles and even said in Chinese, “You can go if you pay in cash”.
Despite his uncle advising Long Xiangyu not to comply as the police were just intimidating them and the usual penalty would be around 5,000 rubles, Long Xiangyu was still taken into custody. His uncle encouraged him not to be afraid and not to be deceived into giving money. Soon after, his uncle, who held a residency permit, was also taken into custody under the pretext that his permit was “fake” and he would be deported back to China.
Many people were swiftly arrested, and the overcrowded prison vehicle made its way to the police station. Upon arrival at the station, when Long Xiangyu’s turn came, he was taken into a room where a police officer with a small submachine gun strapped to his chest informed him that he would be fined 15,000 rubles for not having a residency permit. Long Xiangyu negotiated and ultimately handed over 8,000 rubles in cash as per the officer’s request.
As Long Xiangyu did not have enough cash on hand, the police called his uncle back in and demanded 10,000 rubles. They insisted they were students, not tourists, and eventually, the police agreed to accept the 8,000 rubles via bank transfer without issuing a formal fine.
After payment, the police confirmed that the uncle’s documentation was in order, Long Xiangyu had no issues, and they were free to go. Before leaving, the police shook hands with them in a seemingly friendly manner.
Responses from netizens included comments such as, “Being spared from being sent to the front lines is already fortunate,” and “I truly admire those who travel to Russia nowadays. I wouldn’t go even if paid, being fined is a minor issue compared to being detained.” Some suggested that Russian fans should experience the hospitality of the Chinese police. Others expressed surprise that people still choose to visit Russia and commented on the unique experiences offered by different travel destinations.
Some users recounted similar incidents in Moscow dating back to 2001, highlighting the common practice of coercing tourists into giving money by instilling fear through threats and intimidation tactics.
Additionally, concerns were raised about the treatment of Chinese tourists in Moscow, with calls for travel warnings to be issued against such countries. Some users shared their experiences with the cumbersome process of obtaining temporary residency permits upon arrival in Russia, which often involves dealing with local police stations or hotels for a fee.