The abrupt termination of Russian humanitarian worker Valeriya Astashova’s permit to conduct English language classes at an Orang Asli village in Perak is yet another setback for her in the past year.

In March 2020, Astashova and her nine-year-old son Kyri first made headlines when they were among a number of foreigners stranded at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2), due to countries around the world closing their borders in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 32-year-old, who has run a hostel in Koh Tao, Thailand, for the past seven years, told Malaysiakini that she initially came to Kuala Lumpur in February 2020 to volunteer at an Afghan community centre in the country...