More than 64,000 foreign nationals were ordered out of Russia in 2013, a migration official said Wednesday.
Federal Migration Service official Dmitry Demidenko said about 63,000 foreigners had been expelled from the country, an action typically taken following violations of the law. Another 1,300 people were deported, which is usually how Russian authorities deal with individuals violating visa and migration rules.
Demidenko said another 500,000 people were barred from future return to Russia for indefinite periods of time for committing illegalities. Most of those are from the former Soviet states of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, he said.
Millions of migrants from those countries regularly travel to Russia for work.
A total of 17.5 million foreigners visited the country last year, Demidenko said. It was not immediately clear how many of them stayed.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
