Tens of thousands of Russian nationals have been reported to have deserted their country and made their way to Istanbul since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. In addition to being anti-war and anti-Putin, these "brains," who also seek asylum in Georgia and Armenia, hold frequent demonstrations in opposition to the policies of the Kremlin.
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| [Erdogan and Putin] |
From the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine , they made up their minds. Tens of thousands of Russian nationals departed their country through airways still available before the downpour of foreign sanctions. In February alone, approximately 80,000 of them would have taken asylum particularly Turkey, in Istanbul, writes the Spanish news portal RTVE, which references local media .
Driven by Moscow's legislative tightening , which harshly punishes the producers of "fake information" on the fight, and the fear of the development of a military rule which would ban males aged 18 to 65 from leaving the Russia, many "brains" so took to the road overnight. Tech businesses have also begun moving their personnel to foreign nations, RTVE added.
A huge diaspora already in place
And Turkey is not the sole destination of these exiles: Armenia and Georgia are also places of welcome for Russian people, who do not require visas to get there. At the end of March, "The Economist" claimed that approximately 200,000 Russians had fled to these three nations.
According to RTVE, there was already a Russian population in that location before to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This was due to the fact that Istanbul, the capital of the Bosphorus, had opened its doors in 1920 to thousands of Russians who were fleeing the Bolshevik rule. A substantial diaspora that is supportive of new arrivals: at least two Russian humanitarian groups welcome and orient refugees, helping them locate a secure area in the city to settle, and sorting out administrative concerns as soon as they arrive in the country.
There are a lot of computer engineers, journalists, filmmakers, and other persons from the cultural sector among the Russians who have just arrived in Istanbul. They are regarded as being somewhat young and intelligent, and they are said to be participating in anti-war protests by the Spanish media. Some of these expatriates come together every day in the middle of Istanbul with hundreds of Ukrainian people to demonstrate against the strategy being followed by the Kremlin. These demonstrations take place in Taksim Square.