Dima, who is actually called something else, is in his 20s but already has many years of experience as an engineer at a leading IT company in Moscow. Since his school years, however, he has had another goal in mind: Europe.

"I'm a technology guy and I've always wanted to work with cutting-edge technology. It's a miracle if something like that is even available here," he said.

The war in Ukraine became the nail in the coffin for Dima. He participated in anti-Putin protests in which he was both arrested and fined, but it was the resistance will of the Russian people that convinced him to try to leave.

"There were so few people that I was disgusted.

"Our wages cannot be compared"

However, leaving Russia has proved easier said than done. Dima previously studied at university but dropped out when he was offered a job. Without a formal degree, opportunities in the international labor market are limited. Most companies don't even look at his resume — others say he's too young, he says.

Instead, he has his sights set on studying abroad, but even there he has encountered problems.

"It turns out that education in English is very expensive. Either the tuition fee is high or the cost of living is. I make all my money myself and our salaries are not even comparable to European salaries.

Learning a third language

Most of Dima's friends are in the same position and trying to find other ways to leave, he explains. He himself invests in learning a third language to avoid the high tuition fees that often come with education in English.

"I hope that it will be possible to do so within a year. As it is now, I don't think I'll miss Russia at all. We'll see later," Dima said.

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The lack of information technology specialists makes Russia increasingly inclined to seek new allies, according to Vendil Pallin. Hear the expert on how the country can try to make up for the losses in the clip. Photo: AP/TT & Filip Brusman