Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began roughly one year ago, upwards of one million Russians have fled the country. The outflow is on par with the flight witnessed following the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Since the onset of the war, Russians, especially young men wishing to avoid serving on a potentially deadly front line, have been fleeing. As the conflict has waged on, Putin’s conscription net has widened, resulting in a growing exodus.
Options for departing Russians have shrunk since the conflict began. While Ukrainian refugees have encountered broadly welcoming borders in Western countries, Russians fleeing the conflict have faced increasing hurdles like added visa entry restrictions or outright visa denials.
Those with limited means have found refuge in neighboring countries with no visa requirements, like Kazakhstan and Armenia. Others left for indefinite vacations to locations as far as Thailand, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates.
In one extreme case of draft dodging, in October 2022, two Russian men crossed the treacherous Bering Strait in a small boat. The pair departed from the eastern tip of Siberia before beaching their boat near the small settlement of Gambell on St. Lawrence Island in Alaska.
The exact number of Russians leaving and the subsequent economic impact is difficult to ascertain. By their own account, Russia’s Communications Ministry claims that one out of 10 IT workers fled in 2022. As a result, Moscow is considering incentive packages to help lure talent back home, indicating the economic fallout is likely substantial. This is despite Putin labeling those who left as “scum” whose departure would “cleanse” the country, as reported by The Washington Post.
Avoiding conscription is just one of the reasons why people are leaving. For Russians opposed to the invasion – like activists and journalists – remaining in the country could mean imprisonment. This has driven a number of like-minded Russian exiles critical of Putin to flock to nearby capitals like Berlin and Riga.
In some instances, the rapid swelling of Russian visitors to nearby European cities has led to increased tensions with locals. The exodus has driven up real estate in countries like Kyrgyzstan as fleeing Russians vie for accommodation.
For Russians with deeper pockets, Dubai has become an attractive option. The populous city still grants Russian citizens visa-free travel for up to 90 days, along with the ability to open bank accounts. If that were not reason enough, ongoing direct flights between Moscow and Dubai enhance the attraction.
The influx of wealthy Russians to Dubai has led to the group dominating real estate deals, unseating British and Indian buyers as the most active in the market last year.
For some, the departure is permanent, with no intention of returning to Russia. As the war persists, many have settled in their new home cities, like Yerevan, Armenia, a beacon for young, creative Russians fleeing conflict.
“Every extra month leads people to get used to a different country,” said Russian historian Tamara Eidelman, per The Washington Post. “They get a job there, their children go to school, they begin to speak a different language. The longer the war lasts — the longer the dictatorship in the country continues — the fewer people will return,” said Eidelman.