Support The Moscow Times!

Moscow Says 100K IT Specialists Have Left Russia This Year

Russians fleeing mobilization in September and October formed massive queues at the country's border with Georgia. Valery Sharifulin / TASS

Around 100,000 IT specialists have left Russia this year, an official said Tuesday, following the start of Moscow's military operation in Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Young Russians fled the country in droves, especially those working in the IT sector and able to work remotely, sparking fears of a brain drain.

Some months later, the announcement of the mobilization of hundreds of thousands of men in late September triggered another wave of departures.

"Up to 10% of employees of IT companies have left the country and have not returned. In total, around 100,000 IT specialists are abroad," the minister for digital development, Maksut Shadayev, was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. 

According to him, 80% of those who left continue to work for Russian companies remotely.

The minister did not give a reason for the departures but recommended not imposing "strict restrictions" on remote work to avoid "pushing them to seek work in foreign companies."

The majority of Russians who left have arrived in neighboring countries, such as Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan, but also Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more