Justas Walker, an American farmer who has lived in Russia since 1994, said authorities plan to revoke his residence permit and expel him along with his family. He announced this in a video on his Telegram channel and confirmed it to the Krasnoyarsk-based outlet Borus.
According to Walker, he received a phone call informing him of the impending revocation and expulsion without explanation. On Monday, August 10, he is scheduled to meet with officials to receive documents and understand the nature of the claims against him.
"We live in the wilderness, in a village, and we were asked to come for clarification on Monday, where they will give us the specific papers. We have been developing a farm in Altai for 10 years, I have lived in Russia almost my whole life, since '94. I got married in Russia, all the children were born in Russia. Honestly, I am at a loss for words," Borus quotes Walker as saying.
Walker was born in Idaho. He first came to Russia at age 11 with his missionary parents. The family later returned to the United States, but Walker came back to Russia, where he took up farming. In 2016, he moved to the Soloneshensky district of the Altai region, where he and his family built a farm.
Walker gained wide fame after a 2014 Vesti report on Russia's food embargo, in which he said with a laugh: "There will be no your Italian cheese." The clip went viral, earning Walker the nickname "cheerful milkman."
In 2024, Walker publicly opposed plans for gold mining in Altai, calling them a tragedy. In spring 2026, a video circulated on social media in which he criticized local agricultural authorities, speaking of bureaucratic pressure on farmers.
It is not yet clear from the reports whose residence permit the possible revocation concerns. Walker noted that he could appeal the decision, but if that fails, the family would have only a few days to leave Russia.