After Istanbul and Yerevan, tens of thousands of Russians go into exile
04/19/2022 07:24
More and more Russian citizens are leaving their homeland for fear of arrest, military service or economic problems. Many are now drawn to Turkey or Georgia. Up to 100,000 Russians are said to be in Armenia at the moment.
Armenia, Georgia and Turkey became popular countries for Russian exiles. Tens of thousands of Russians have turned their backs on their homeland since the war against Ukraine began on February 24. In the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul and the Armenian capital of Yerevan, the Russian initiative “The Ark” supports those who have left the country on arrival. Above all, it offers accommodation for people who “had to flee in a hurry for fear of being arrested”, says Eva Rapoport, a volunteer with the organization in Istanbul. “We try to offer all kinds of help so they can stay free for at least a little while and find out how things are going for them.”
Some exiles also left Russia because of poor economic prospects due to harsh Western sanctions, says Rapoport. Young people are also afraid of being drafted into the military. Above all, well-educated people are among the newcomers.
“Die Arche” was founded in early March, just after the start of the war. According to their own statements, it is funded by donations. One well-known supporter is exiled opposition figure in London, Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Apartments with up to six bedrooms are rented out to newcomers, says Rapoport. In Istanbul alone, more than 200 accommodations have been arranged so far. The government has not released figures on how many Russians have arrived in Turkey since the start of the war.
Turkey is used as a hub
Millions of Russians travel to Turkish holiday regions every year for tourist purposes. Unlike Europe, Turkey, a NATO country, keeps its airspace open to Russian planes and does not participate in sanctions. Russians can also enter visa-free, making the country a hub. According to Rapoport, some of the newcomers will not settle in Turkey, but will continue their journey.
According to official figures, there are now 75,000 people from Russia in the former Soviet Republic of Armenia – experts estimate the number to be 100,000. Hotels, guesthouses and rented apartments in the capital Yerevan are fully occupied, as a dpa reporter on the ground reported. In Yerevan, programmers in particular have a chance to find a job – several IT companies are based there. As Russian is also spoken in Armenia, there are no language barriers for newcomers, many of whom are young families.
Georgia is also an option as a refuge for Russians. Russian is also spoken there. By mid-March, authorities had registered more than 30,000 entries from the neighboring country. According to the Interior Ministry, more than 17,000 Russians have left Georgia again.