Russia’s war of aggression has forced millions of Ukrainians to flee their homeland. But hundreds of thousands of Russians have also left their own country – and the number of unreported cases could be even higher.
According to a media report, at least 650,000 Russians have permanently moved abroad since the start of the Russian war of aggression. Most of the refugees have emigrated to Armenia (110,000), Kazakhstan and Israel (80,000 each), as the independent Internet portal “The Bell” calculated. Russians do not need a visa to enter there.
Germany is also a preferred destination for Russian refugees, with an increase of more than 36,000 people. There is no official information from Moscow about the number of people who have left the country.
Survey with restrictions
“The Bell” says that it made the calculations based on information from migration authorities. In total, data from more than 70 countries were included in the calculation, such as newly issued residence permits or applications for political asylum. However, according to the portal, the data is not complete, as some countries popular with Russians, such as Thailand, Azerbaijan and Cyprus, did not respond to inquiries.
Other countries such as the United Arab Emirates, to which many Russians also moved after the war began, were not included in the calculations. The Russians who have emigrated are likely to include not only opponents of the war, but also many people who do business elsewhere in order to circumvent sanctions.
EU quickly closed borders to war refugees
The number of war refugees who have fled to Europe is relatively low, partly because the EU quickly closed its borders to Russia. Conscientious objection alone is not considered a reason for political asylum. Therefore, of the EU countries, only Germany and Spain (+16,000) are among the top 10 destinations for Russian emigrants.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
