Xenia Eliseeva is a Russian political activist. While living in Russia, she took part in protests against President Vladimir Putin and his government. Fearing for her life after Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was arrested and imprisoned and seeing Russia's buildup of troops at the Ukrainian border, she fled Russia in 2021. 

After spending time in Poland, Montenegro and Armenia, she eventually settled in Bulgaria three years ago, where she continued to protest against Putin. 

But Bulgaria has now rejected her request for political asylum, and her future in the country is uncertain. Human rights groups warn that Bulgaria is increasingly restricting refugee protection, making it harder for migrants to gain legal status. 

Eliseeva's case is one of many. More and more asylum-seekers are being rejected, raising serious questions about Bulgaria's treatment of vulnerable individuals.