Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, not only the Ukrainian but also the Russian population has left their country. About 140,000 Russian citizens have come to Armenia, about a third of whom are left. Other target countries are Turkey and Georgia. Some of the emigration has political reasons.
In total, tens of thousands of Russians have left their country of origin since the start of the war. A young Russian named Dima said that many compatriots impulsively decided to emigrate. Since April, he and his wife have been running a restaurant in the Armenian capital Yerevan. Dima moved here not because of politics, but because his sister was married in Yerevan. But there is a political reason why he wants to stay for now. As freedoms became more and more curtailed, he realized that he could not return to Moscow yet.
Meeting place for young Russians
Dima’s bar has already become a meeting place for young Russians in Yerevan. Several guests come with their laptops. For example, other Russians in Armenia have founded companies or work as IT specialists. The advantage for them is that the country is connected to the Russian MIR payment system, which gives them access to their money. In addition, Russia is considered the protective power of the Caucasus country of three million inhabitants. “Russia is very important for keeping the peace in Nagorno-Karabakh,” said adviser to Armenian Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan. In the fall of 2020, Armenia and Azerbaijan fought for weeks that killed more than 6,500 people. At the time, Russia brokered the ceasefire, which has not been fully complied with to this day.
War hits region
The war in Ukraine is also being felt in Armenia, although the number of refugees is limited. Many Armenian migrant workers from Russia, for example, have returned because the exchange rate no longer pays for the work, Artur Tsaghararyan, the mayor of Ijewan (the administrative center of the region, ed.), Artur Tsaghararyan, told the APA. In Armenia, prices have risen by 20 to 30 percent since the start of the war and many small businesses have gone bankrupt. Life becomes more difficult, especially in the villages. Armenia is economically very dependent on Russia. For example, Russian companies dominate the energy and mobile communications sectors and the railway is wholly owned by the Russian State Railways.
Russians who have moved to Georgia find relatively more difficult conditions. The country is not connected to the Russian payment system and is increasingly suspicious of immigrants.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
