Cambodian soldiers apprehended a Russian man wandering along the Thai border in Oddar Meanchey province’s Samraong City last week, according to officials, who said he was handed over to police and would be deported once he could pay for a plane ticket.
Denis Kolesnikov, 37, did not have a valid Cambodian visa or an entry stamp in his passport when he was found on Wednesday, said Long Sokun, deputy provincial immigration police chief, adding that the Russian had changed the story of how he ended up in Cambodia several times during questioning.
However, his passport revealed he had most recently received a visa to enter Thailand, and also had visas for Laos and Burma. Mr. Kolesnikov was found with a hammock, a Russian Armed Forces identity card, no money, two passports—one of which had expired in 2014—and some rations, Mr. Sokun said.
“He told the officer that he is neither a terrorist nor an [Islamic State group] member. He just wants to go back home, but he doesn’t have money,” he said.
Mr. Kolesnikov remained in detention on Sunday at the immigration police office in Siem Reap province and has been asked to organize his flight home by no later than Tuesday, said Uk Heiseila, director of investigations at the Interior Ministry’s immigration department.
