ɪn ˈeɪpɹəl tˈuː θˈaʊzənd, ɪmˈiːdɪətli bᵻfˌoːɹ dʒˈʌdʒmənt wʌz təbi hˈændᵻd dˌaʊn ɪn hɪz ɐpˈiːl wɪððə suːpɹˈiːm kˈoːɹt ʌv lˈætviə, hiː wʌz ˈɔfɚd sˈɪɾɪzənʃˌɪp ʌvðə ɹˈʌʃən fˌɛdɚɹˈeɪʃən baɪ pɹˈɛzɪdənt vlˈædɪmˌɪɹ pjˈuːtɪn.
In April 2000, immediately before judgement was to be handed down in his appeal with the Supreme Court of Latvia, he was offered citizenship of the Russian Federation by President Vladimir Putin.