[LewisVerstappen]

> He sought refuge in a country run by a criminal syndicate that is presided over by a madman

Did he have any other countries that were willing to accept him (and massively piss off the US as a result)?

[8bitsrule]

Yes he did, but the U.S. revoked his passport while he was enroute to RU.

[cjbprime]

He didn't want to stay in Russia at all. He was enroute to Ecuador, which had issued him an emergency safe travel document, when the US canceled his passport and stranded him in Moscow.