At least 650,000 Russian citizens have left Russia for good since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, according to research by independent news outlet The Bell.
The country receiving the largest number of Russian emigrants is Armenia, with approximately 110,000 Russians resettling there. Armenia is one of the few countries that do not require Russian passport holders to have a visa.
Kazakhstan and Israel both received around 80,000 Russian migrants each.
Georgia saw about 73,500 Russians relocating, while the United States became home to about 48,000 Russian emigrants.
In Europe, Germany was the most popular destination, with about 36,000 Russians moving there.
Serbia came close behind, receiving about 30,000 Russians.
The Bell’s research also identified an extra 150,000 Russians who fled the country than was previously known.
While some Russians who left in 2022 have since returned home despite the ongoing war, the Russian authorities have not disclosed the total number of citizens who left the country permanently.
In recent months, Norway and Finland have both moved to restrict non-essential travel by Russian citizens.
Additionally, foreign travel has become increasingly difficult for Russian passport holders as sanctions have driven up costs and made obtaining visas more challenging.
