At least 650,000 Russians have left their homeland for good since the start of a brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. The Kremlin now wants to put a stop to people fleeing abroad, the British government has warned.
Since the partial mobilization in the world’s largest country by surface area was announced in the fall of 2022, hundreds of thousands of Russians – mainly young and well-educated – have fled abroad. The consequences for the labor market are enormous. In order to stop this situation in the future, a special system is currently being developed, according to an intelligence update on the war in Ukraine from the British Ministry of Defense:
The announcement is based on a report by the independent Russian media organization “Medusa”: According to this report, the Moscow Defense Ministry is working with the FSB secret service to create a platform for exchanging information about potential conscripts. It should be functional before the draft class arrives in the fall. Every year, Russia forces 250,000 young men to serve a year of military service. The new system is intended to prevent many more from fleeing abroad before the next draft or in the event of further mobilization waves.
Russian aggression has displaced many civilians
Most refugees emigrated to Armenia (110,000), Kazakhstan and Israel (80,000 each), as calculated by the independent internet portal “The Bell”. Russians do not need a visa to enter the country. They are followed by Georgia (73,562) and the US (48,033).
Germany is also a favorite destination for Russian refugees: there are 36,000 Russian refugees there. They are followed by Serbia (30,000) and Turkey (28,308). Austria, on the other hand, is at the bottom of the list with 3,406 inhabitants, between the Republic of Moldova and Bulgaria. There is no official information from Moscow about the number of people who have left the country.
“The Bell” states that the calculations are based on information from migration authorities. In total, data from more than seventy countries were used, including newly issued residence permits or applications for political asylum. According to the portal, the data is not complete. Some departure countries that are popular with Russians, such as Thailand, Azerbaijan and Cyprus, did not respond to questions. Other states, such as the United Arab Emirates, where many Russians moved after the start of the war, were not included in the calculation at all.
Conscientious objectors are not granted asylum in the EU
Not everyone who has turned their backs on Russia is against the war. There are also many people who do business elsewhere to avoid sanctions. In Europe, the number of Russian war refugees who have fled is small. This is also because the EU quickly closed its borders to Russia. Moreover, conscientious objection alone is not considered a reason for political asylum. That is why, apart from Germany, only Spain (+16,000) is among the top 10 destination countries for Russian emigrants among the EU countries.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
