Russian State Duma deputy Oleg Matveichev claimed that allegedly 70% of Russians who left the country after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine have already returned home. At the same time, previously published studies indicate a much smaller scale of returns. The Moscow Times reports this, according to UNN.
Details
According to the deputy, Russians allegedly became disillusioned with life abroad because of financial difficulties, bureaucracy, and the lack of familiar comforts.
They fled back from Europe in horror, saying that now they would not trade Moscow for anything. They had a hard time. With their tails between their legs, they are sitting quietly
What the actual studies show
According to various estimates, between 650,000 and 900,000 people left Russia after the start of the full-scale war.
At the same time, a study by the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA) at the beginning of 2024 indicated that only about 10% of emigrants had returned.
In addition, journalists from The Bell found that as of July 2024, approximately 666,000 Russians remained abroad.
At the same time, the Russian authorities continue to intensify pressure on citizens who left the country and criticize the war. In particular, in 2026, Putin signed a law on the so-called "register of exiles," which provides for restrictions on the rights of such emigrants.