The Russian Foreign Ministry says it's seeing a surge in people from NATO countries applying for residence in Russia.
Maria Zakharova, the ministry’s spokesperson, told Komsomolskaya Pravda that many Westerners are now looking to Russia as a refuge from the growing liberal agenda in their own countries.
"Thousands" Seeking a New Life in Russia
Zakharova claimed that many Westerners are turning to Russian embassies and consulates in search of visas and residence permits.
Some have even shown up in Russia with their families, declaring that they’re not going back.
These applicants, Zakharova claimed, are motivated not by grand political ambitions but by a desire to protect themselves and their families from what they see as being “sacrificed for the sake of a liberal idea.”
"They are law-abiding citizens with passports, homes, and businesses," Zakharova assured, dismissing the idea that these people are fleeing legal or financial troubles in their own countries.
On August 19, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree aimed at simplifying the immigration process for foreigners who oppose the “destructive neoliberal ideological attitudes” in their homelands and align with Russia’s “traditional spiritual and moral values.”
Under the new rules, applicants will not need to prove their knowledge of the Russian language, history, or legal system to gain residency.
The Foreign Ministry will issue three-month single-entry visas to these applicants, with the government set to implement the necessary measures by September.
It's still unclear how Russia will determine if applicants truly support these traditional values.
High-Profile Moves to Russia
Zakharova's comments come after several high-profile cases of Westerners relocating to Russia for similar reasons.
Recently, an American couple, the Heers, were granted temporary asylum in Russia. They claimed they left the United States because they were unhappy with the erosion of traditional family values and what they saw as a decline in education.
Another notable case is that of Danish rapper Nicklas Hoffgaard, who moved to Russia because he supported Vladimir Putin and disagreed with "European values."
Hoffgaard signed a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry to quickly gain citizenship, expecting to be stationed as a border guard in Siberia. Instead, he was sent to eastern Ukraine, where he struggled with mistrust from fellow soldiers. He’s now trying to annul the contract, saying he didn’t understand its terms because he doesn’t speak Russian.
American Wilmer Puello-Mota also made headlines after he appeared in a Russian propaganda video about the war in Ukraine. Puello-Mota, a former US National Guard member, fled to Russia after facing serious criminal charges in the United States.
Despite his troubled past, Russian media has portrayed him as a volunteer fighting alongside Russian forces.
