Since Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, western nations have, justifiably, rallied to its support – welcoming refugees, supplying weapons, sanctioning Russian elites and rearming to defend European borders. Far less attention has been paid to the more uncomfortable question: what to do about the nearly one million liberal-minded, globally educated Russians who have fled their home country since the invasion?
Why isn’t the West supporting these Russian exiles?
Almost a million of Russia’s brightest have fled home since 2022. Ekaterina Sachkova spoke to some of them about the dilemmas and distrust they face – and why the West might be missing an opportunity.
The World Today
Published 9 June 2025 — 4 minute READ
Image — A Russian dissident protests against Vladimir Putin in front of the Russian consulate in Milan, 2024. Despite being anti-regime, many exiles have faced discrimination in their host countries. Photo: Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images.
