Not only Ukrainian citizens are seeking refuge in Germany, but more Russians may soon come to the country and seek asylum – according to reports, numerous people have already left Russia.
According to the Federal Government Commissioner for Integration, Reem Alabali-Radovan, the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine is likely to lead to more asylum applications from Russian citizens in the medium term.
“I think we have to expect that more asylum applications will be made by people from Russia,” she told the German Press Agency. Everyone in Germany has the right to apply for asylum, which of course also applies to Russian citizens. As with all other asylum applications, there will then be an individual assessment. “I am in contact with the Federal Ministry of the Interior to find out whether there will be any other specific steps,” she added.
In January, 172 people from the Russian Federation applied for asylum in Germany, and in February there were 187 applications. The Federal Ministry of the Interior did not register a significant increase in the numbers in March either. However, there are increasing reports of Russians who have left for Armenia, Georgia or the Baltic States since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
No problem with recording capacity
Alabali-Radovan said that she had been very impressed by the commitment of volunteers in accommodating and caring for war refugees from Ukraine in the past few weeks. Nevertheless, it is important “that the state is on site”. As far as the capacity is concerned, she currently sees no problem, said the SPD politician. In Schwerin, for example, an old vocational school was converted into accommodation within two days with the help of the German Red Cross. The knowledge gained during the so-called refugee crisis of 2015 on how to deal with such a situation is still present in the municipalities.
In contrast to 2015, more older people, many women with children and also children from orphanages and workshops for the disabled are now coming, which sometimes requires different solutions. “We are trying to ensure that, for example, the children who come from the orphanages can stay together as a group,” said the Minister of State.
Politically motivated hostilities aimed at Russian speakers or people who are mistaken for Russians are unacceptable, she stressed. “We have cases of, for example, grocery stores that are no longer visited or that are smeared”. You have to resist that.
Source: Stern
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