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Anti-War Artist Flees Russia After Thwarted Victory Day Protest

Danila Tkachenko planned to fill the air with blue-and-yellow smoke during Russia's massive military parade on Red Square.

Undercover departure

Pussy Riot Activist Maria Alyokhina Leaves Russia – NYT

The anti-Kremlin activist disguised herself as a food courier to leave Moscow.

Russians in London Protest Ukraine War, Kremlin Crackdown

Attendees were draped in the white and blue flags that are a symbol of Russia’s anti-war movement.

Nearly 4M Russians Left Russia in Early 2022 – FSB

Former Soviet countries saw significant spikes in arrivals of Russian nationals after Moscow invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Émigré Russians Look to Victory Day as Weathervane for Return

"I think Putin imagines the victory parade to be like 1945,” said one Russian who fled to Turkey in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.

Russian Pop Icon Feuds With RT Chief Editor Over Exiled Anti-War Star

Observers describe the feud between Filipp Kirkorov and RT chief editor Margarita Simonyan as the latest sign of cracks within the pro-Putin elite.

‘This War Is a Vampire’: Buryat Activists Protest Ukraine Invasion

“When Ukrainians talk about Russian troops, they always mention Buryats and Chechens,” one activist said. “We do not want this reputation.”

leave of absence

Veteran Rights Defender Ponomarev Leaves Russia

Lev Ponomarev cited worries about his personal safety, including "shadowy information about what they intended to do to me."

International Isolation

Political Analysts Join Russia Exodus As Top Think Tank Closes

The shuttering of think tank Carnegie Moscow is just one of a series of closures affecting international organizations in Russia.

The New Émigrés

Fleeing Repression, Russians Rebuild Their Lives in Armenia

As growing number of Russians seek to leave the country, a makeshift diaspora community has blossomed on the streets of Yerevan.

Former Sberbank Senior Executive Flees Russia – Vedomosti

Lev Khasis is at least the fourth publicly known senior Russian executive to make an abrupt exit since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Top Political Cartoonist Sergei Elkin Flees Russia

Over the years, Elkin has lampooned politicians in media outlets across the world — including The Moscow Times.

‘Unprepared’ Emigres Trickle Back to Russia as War Drags On

Some of the returnees miss creature comforts, others want to plan a more permanent emigration.

ostracized dissenters

Russian Speaker Proposes Stripping ‘Traitors’ of Citizenship

The statements illustrate the increasingly hostile climate in Russia for anyone opposing the military offensive in Ukraine.

Novaya Gazeta Launches European Edition in Bid to Dodge Kremlin Censorship

Russia’s oldest independent newspaper was forced to suspend operations in Moscow after being threatened with closure.

discrimination accusations

Russian-Speaking Airbnb Users Fume Over Global Shutout

A spokesperson denied that Russian and Belarusian users would be banned from using the platform in other countries.

Russia Plays Tug-of-War as Its Talented IT Workers Head for the Door

A government plan to entice IT workers to stay in Russia despite sanctions and political crackdowns gets a lukewarm response.

Fleeing Putin, Russians Resettle in Pro-Kremlin Serbia

In the weeks following the invasion, Serbia has become a haven for many Russians hoping to escape abroad, with the country providing one of the few regular...

bombshell departure

Putin Aide Chubais Quits Kremlin, Leaves Russia

Anatoly Chubais is the highest-profile figure to break with President Vladimir Putin over his decision to invade Ukraine.

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