Kathrine Frich
His relationship with the Russian state soured recently.
When expats build lives in foreign countries, they usually follow local rules to stay out of trouble.
Some even become minor celebrities for their loyalty. But public favor can turn quickly when a person decides to speak their mind.
Sudden change of luck
An American who spent years praising the Russian government is now fighting to stay there. Justus Walker runs a farm in the countryside.
He learned officials plan to cancel his residency permit by Monday, a move that forces him to abandon the business he built.
According to Daily Beast, Walker posted a video on YouTube titled “Family Tragedy” to share the news. “This is just a shock for us,” he said in the short clip.
The sudden move caught him entirely off guard. “It’s just mind-boggling. I can’t even believe it. My family is being expelled from the country,” he said.
The cheerful dairyman
He moved to Russia with his parents at age eleven. After briefly returning to the United States, he traveled back alone to raise goats.
He built a public profile with his wife, Rebecca, and their three children. They documented their daily life.
“We call our mission Sent To Siberia, because we believe we have been sent here, not as people were often sent, but as a blessing to us and to be a blessing to others,” they wrote.
Local media noticed his work. In 2014, he appeared on television to support a government ban on foreign food imports.
Speaking out online
On television, he joked about locals buying his products. “Why, why? Because there won’t be any of your Italian cheese,” he laughed.
This attitude earned him the nickname “Merry Milkman” across the country. But according to The Daily Beast, his relationship with the state soured recently.
Starting in 2024, Walker publicly criticized government gold mining operations near his land. He also used YouTube to complain about state agricultural policies.
He claimed the government punishes small farmers and drives them out of business. Now, he faces losing his property without financial compensation.
No time left
Walker is rushing to appeal. If the decision holds, “then we will have only a few days for the family to leave,” he noted.
Online observers offered no sympathy.
One user on X, Jay in Kviv, wrote that Walker was “used by Kremlin propagandists to legitimize the regime [and has] finally met the fate we all knew he eventually would.”
Sources: The Daily Beast, YouTube, X
