From the moment since Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more and more number of people have started feeling about the ideas and mindset of the Kremlin and how it will bring a long-term impact on the Russian community.
Since Russia rang the bell of the invasion of Ukraine on the early morning of February 24, 2022, more than 300,000 Russians and residents are estimated to have left Russia.
Several reports have made it clear that bunches and bunches of people are taking sides against President Putin and his ideology, but the only drawback of taking sides against Putin is that they are having lack of expression. The lack of expressions brings them under a continuous dark light of either being imprisoned or threatened to be killed.
To clamp down on the people, who are raising their voices against Putin, Moscow has enacted a censorship law under which if anybody is found speaking against the ideology of the Russian government about the war, including calling it an “invasion” or “war”, they will have to face 15 years of imprisonment.
According to some reports, “Thousands of people have been arrested at protests in dozens of cities across Russia against Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked war in Ukraine.”
The reports further revealed that, “Around 4,888 people were arrested during protests in over 69 cities as of early March 7. In Moscow, the number detained was at least 2,319.” Some other reports are suggesting that the police department may have arrested more people as compared to the real figures.
The war has grown so much attention around the world, that several Western nations are stepping alongside Ukraine and are taking sides against Russia for its brutality. Moreover, the steps that Western nations have taken are turning into doom for the people of Russia.
Meanwhile, some of Russia’s billionaires, known for sharing close relations with President Putin, are speaking out against his act of invading Ukraine as they are striving to run operations both in Russia or abroad in a complete way as before and suffering huge losses.
Many Russians who are against Russia’s narrative are looking for ways to flee their nation in the hope of starting a new life. But consequently, several nations have barred Russians from stepping into their nations following the Russia-Ukraine war crisis as a part of sanctions and to safeguard their nations from the threat.
Contributions of Russia to the world:
The Russian economy has gradually converted from a planned economy into a market-oriented economy. With immense natural resources, especially oil and natural gas, Russia stood as the fifth-largest economy in Europe, the world’s 11th largest economy by nominal GDP, and the sixth-largest by PPP as of 2021.
Russia’s vast geography is a significant determinant of its economic activity, with the country holding a large share of the world’s natural resources. It has been widely explained as an energy superpower; as it has the world’s largest natural gas reserves, the second-largest coal reserves, the 8th largest oil reserves, and the significant oil shale reserves in Europe.
Moreover, Russia has significant as well as sophisticated arms industry, capable of designing and producing high-tech military equipment, & is the world’s second-largest exporter of arms. Russia also has the world’s 5th largest number of billionaires.
The oil & gas sector accounts for up to around 40% of Russia’s federal budget revenues &up to 60% of its exports in 2019. In 2019, the Natural Resources & Environment Ministry has estimated the value of natural resources to 60% of the nation’s GDP.
Russia has one of the lowest external debts among significant economies, though its inequality of household income & wealth is one of the highest among developed nations. After the Russia’s full-scale military operation of Ukraine in 2022, the country has faced several sanctions and boycotts from the Western world and its allies, a move elaborated as an ‘all out-economic and financial war’ to isolate the Russian economy from the global financial system.
The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development has estimated the damage done by the sanctions triggered “the greatest supply shock since at least the early 1970s”, and will retract Russia’s economy by 10% in 2022. Since, early 2022 many official economic statistics are no longer published.
Now, what is left for Russian nationals?
Amid the global tensions are continuously rising, the whole situation Russia is going through has forced Russians to rethink their future, career and safety. They have alot of fear to live in a situation of the tumbling economy of the country and the authoritarian policy of the Russian government.
So, people are looking for several ways to leave their own nation in the hope of starting a new life. As per the information provided by OVD-info, the government of Russia has put more than 75,000 people in jail due to the anti-war protests around the nation.
Furthermore, political prosecution has also emerged as the significant reason behind the departure of the Russians. Additionally, people have lost their faith in the nation’s government and believe that the situation inside the nation will never improve. Due to the huge violation of human rights and forcible ban on the right of freedom of speech, people are witnessing a huge threat and a suffocated-centric environment.
Which is why, Russians have decided to migrate to other nations. As per reports, Georgia has received more than 100,000 refugees from Russia, and Armenia has reported similar data.
Though, the Russians are facing territorial or entry restrictions because of the country’s tarnished image across the globe.
Besides this, nations such as U.K., U.S., Europe and Canada have shut down their airspace to Russian flights, so they are going for nations where flights are still allowed and where visas are not required, including Turkey, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus. Russians have faced political repression, forced military service, and closed borders. However, despite clearing their stand, they are being bullied due to their nationality.
Russians are facing isolation from around the globe as they are looking for humanitarian assistance from other nations, but facing huge rejections as most of the asylums declined to give shelters to the people from Russia due to their country’s torn image.
Russians are witnessing the worst situation that could be witnessed in their words of them. Several Russians are facing difficulty to survive as their own motherland is becoming a hell for their living beings and other countries are putting restrictions on them.
Several Russians have stated that this is a great injustice to their human rights as they don’t ask the President of Russia to start war against Ukraine.
He said that this is becoming a great injustice to their human rights as they don’t ask the President of Russia to start war against Ukraine.
Due to striction restrictions imposed by the Western governments, Russian oligarchs are flocking to the nations to get economic citizenship. In the worst situation, economic citizenship was the only way out for the people of Russia.