International reporting
Russia: those who choose to return to the country after leaving it
Audio 02:26
After leaving Russia, some Russians have chosen to return to the country.
(Illustrative image) © AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko
By: Anissa El Jabri Follow
3 mins
After February 24 and the launch of the “special operation”, as the Kremlin calls it, many of them left Russia: activists, opponents, journalists, but also young graduates and middle-class workers from the big cities.
In this last category, many have since gone the opposite way, back to square one or almost.
Meet.
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From our correspondent in Moscow,
A brutal, sudden panic, and an astronomically priced plane ticket taken in a hurry for Yerevan, Tbilisi, Dubai or Istanbul.
A fear and a deep anger difficult to explain or on the contrary to the precise reasons.
The opposition to the decision to send soldiers to Ukraine where we have friends, the anguish of a martial law to come or general mobilization.
This is what prompted Anna to leave Russia.
“
It was a good decision to go far, and to calm down morally.
I stopped reading the news every minute.
People are scared.
For many people, getting out of Russia was a way of protesting
,” says Anna.
"The Muscovites seem to be fine, the atmosphere is normal"
A silent protest including on the spot.
Anna, in Dubai, or Katia, in Istanbul, have avoided speaking out or demonstrating publicly, above all not to be spotted and close the doors of a return to Russia.
Blue cards blocked because of sanctions, relatives in Russia or need to prepare for a more thoughtful departure, these two young thirtysomethings took a flight back to Moscow.
Katia, met on the outskirts of a busy café, is still surprised by what she found on her return.
"
It's much better than I imagined
," she says.
“
When you're abroad, you think everyone has gone crazy here and the streets are full of killers instead of normal people, everyone walks around with symbols of support for the special operation.
But in reality, these symbols are very rare.
Muscovites seem to be fine, the atmosphere is normal
,” she said.
Then, she adds: “
Right now, it's beautiful, spring is my favorite time of the year, but in reality mentally it's still very hard.
Even if it's still better than the first month, when I searched on the internet if it was biologically possible to empty all the tears from his body.
»
A temporary return?
Except that below the surface of the normal appearance: “
It has become very common to walk into a store, hear people talking about what is happening in Ukraine and suddenly shut up because someone is listening to them
” , concedes Katia.
“
It's partly our culture, partly because there's a kind of military censorship going on right now.
In a country in conflict, one cannot openly express one's opposition.
»
Anna does not protest either in the streets or on social networks, but she is involved in associations helping refugees from Ukraine, gives money and equipment with her time.
But like Katia, she says to keep in mind that maybe she will leave this time for good.
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