Journalist Karina Merkuryeva interviewed Russians who left the country in 2026 or were preparing to go. They cited different reasons for leaving years after the full-scale invasion began: fears of mobilization, possible persecution over their work, restrictions on personal freedom and the time needed to save money or obtain documents.
Alexandra, an 18-year-old transgender woman, said she waited until she was legally an adult so she could leave without parental permission. She and her boyfriend traveled via Hungary to Sweden, where she is staying in a refugee reception center. Valeria, a journalist whose name was changed, said she spent years preparing documents before moving to the United States in March 2026 because she feared persecution for work with independent media.
Olga, another interviewee speaking under a changed name, said her family left Rostov-on-Don for Armenia after her husband received a summons for military training. Kristina, from Ufa, described moving to Serbia after her husband was summoned to a military enlistment office and received a mobilization order. Her daughter was already living there.
Veronika, also identified by a changed name, said her family had spent several years saving for a move to Vietnam with their young child. Opposition to the war and fears for her son’s future influenced the decision.
In August, the Kovcheg project reported rising inquiries about emigration, while Verstka noted increased interest in searches about leaving Russia. The interviews describe individual experiences rather than measuring emigration across the population.