Israeli woman denied entry to Russia over Instagram likes
An Israeli and Ukrainian citizen, Noa Cohen (name changed), was denied entry to Russia due to her Instagram likes and subscriptions. This was reported by Mediazona, citing court documents and the woman's account. An FSB officer deemed the content found on her phone a threat to Russia's security. The court upheld the entry ban.
An Israeli and Ukrainian citizen, Noa Cohen (name changed), was denied entry to Russia due to her Instagram likes and subscriptions. On October 21, the publication Mediazona reported this, citing court documents and the woman's own account. Cohen was born in Ukraine and holds citizenship there, but has long resided in Israel. She enrolled in a Russian university in 2021 and traveled there for studies using her Israeli passport. In the summer of 2025, she flew to Moscow via Minsk. At Sheremetyevo Airport, she was detained for checks. Her phone was taken, and she waited for questioning for about seven hours. A border guard questioned her about her attitude toward Russia, the war, and politics. She was confronted with accusations over likes on posts by Volodymyr Zelensky, Alexei Navalny, opposition Russian musicians, as well as posts related to the Ukrainian army and LGBTQ topics. An FSB officer deemed this a threat to Russia's security. The woman was not allowed into Russia. She later unsuccessfully attempted to challenge the decision in court. Among the grounds for refusal, the court documents also mention "approving marks on publications supporting Israel's aggressive policy toward Palestine."