Russian Migrants in Georgia and Germany: Activism in the Context of Russia's War against Ukraine

RUSSIAN MIGRANTS IN
GEORGIA AND GERMANY:
ACTIVISM IN THE CONTEXT OF
RUSSIA’S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE
Tsypylma Da ie a, Ta iana Golo a and Da ia Skibo
ZOiS REPORT
No.3 / 2023 · Oc obe 2023
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
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Con en
02 ___ Summa y
05 ___ In oduc ion
06 ______ Da a and me hodology
07 ___ The la es wa e o Russian mig a ion
09 ___ Con ex and cases: Geo gia and Ge many as hos coun ies
10 ______ Geo gia
12 ______ Ge many
15 ___ Mul iple audiences o ac i ism
15 ______ Audiences in Russia
19 ______ Hos socie y as audience and non-audience
24 ______ Mig an s as an audience
29 ______ Uk ainians as an audience
32 ___ Conclusion
33 ___ Imp in
Summa y
Russia’s wa agains Uk aine has up oo ed millions o Uk ainians, wi h many
leeing ab oad and o he s displaced wi hin Uk aine. The wa also p omp ed
a new wa e o mig a ion om Russia. A e 24 Feb ua y 2022 and a e he
announcemen o a pa ial mobilisa ion in Sep embe 2022, hund eds o hou-
sands o Russian ci izens le hei home coun y o a ious coun ies, includ-
ing o me So ie epublics in he Caucasus and Cen al Asia and Eu opean
coun ies. While no all o hese mig an s a e poli ically engaged, a ocal mi-
no i y has long-s anding expe ience o ci ic and poli ical ac i ism and saw mi-
g a ion as a way o escaping ep ession and con inuing hei opposi ional ac-
i i ies emo ely. O he s wi h li le o no p e ious expe ience o ac i ism ha e
been mobilised in he con ex o he wa . And in coun ies wi h p e-exis ing
Russian mig an communi ies, sec ions o his popula ion ha e also engaged in
humani a ian and an i-wa ac i i ies.
This epo analyses how poli ically and socially engaged mig an s om Russia
( e-)o ganise hemsel es a a c i ical ime. We ocus on Geo gia and Ge many
as p ominen hos coun ies o his mig a ion. Despi e di e ences in mig a ion
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
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egimes, he numbe s o Russian mig an s aken in, and a i udes o hese new-
come s, we obse e mo e simila i ies han di e ences in mig an ac i ism in
Ge many and Geo gia. D awing on in-dep h in e iews wi h Russian mig an s
in hese coun ies, we examine a a ie y o g ass oo s p ojec s, ocusing on an i-
wa and ela ed ields o ac i ism. Many obse e s and ac i is s a e chie ly
conce ned abou he ex en o which ac i is s can in luence de elopmen s in
Russia om ab oad. Ye he ac i is s’ poli ical and ci ic engagemen , while mo-
i a ed by hese de elopmen s, is no di ec ed solely a he home coun y. We
ocus in pa icula on he ou majo audiences ac i is s add ess: 1) ci il socie y
and he gene al popula ion in Russia; 2) he hos socie y and i s ins i u ions; 3)
Russian mig an s and hei ne wo ks ab oad; and 4) Uk ainian e ugees in he
hos coun ies and Uk ainians in Uk aine. This quali a i e esea ch sheds ligh
on a less isible, de-cen alised o m o mig an ac i ism and i s possible e ec s
in a ansna ional con ex .
These a e he key indings:
– Mig an s emain closely a uned o de elopmen s wi hin hei coun y o o i-
gin bu di ec hei ac ions owa ds di e se audiences in di e en coun ies
and con ex s. Ac i is s and ini ia i es may add ess hese a ge g oups simul-
aneously h ough di e en and some imes e en he same ac ions, which can
c ea e ensions.
– In he con ex o wa and wa censo ship, add essing audiences in Russia be-
comes especially challenging no only o an i-wa ac i is s wi hin he coun-
y, bu also o mig an ac i is s. Homeland-o ien ed engagemen co e s a
wide spec um o ac i i ies anging om dissemina ing independen in o -
ma ion o he Russian popula ion o mone a y suppo and solida i y wi h
ci il socie y ac o s who emain in Russia. Ac i ism also en ails p o iding help
wi h legal issues, psychological suppo , and p ac ical ools o exi o hose
indi iduals and hei amilies who a e c i ical o he poli ical egime in Rus-
sia and wan o ha e o lea e Russia.
– The ela ionship o Russian mig an ac i is s wi h po en ial audiences in he
wo hos socie ies di e s signi ican ly. Poli ically engaged Russian mig an s
in Geo gia ha e li le con ac wi h Geo gian socie y and i s ci il socie y o -
ganisa ions. They a e conscious ha hei p esence in Geo gia can be associ-
a ed wi h Russian impe ial beha iou . The cu en Geo gian deba e on isa
es ic ions o Russian ci izens and a gene ally cau ious a i ude owa ds
newcome s may limi he scope o mig an engagemen in he u u e and
con i m mig an s’ doub s abou hei long- e m p ospec s in Geo gia.
– In Ge many, he si ua ion is di e en , pa ly due o he in ol emen o mo e
es ablished Russian mig an s in an i-wa and p o-democ acy ac i ism, and
pa ly also o he di e en cha ac e o he wa -induced mig a ion he e.
Compa ed o hei coun e pa s in Geo gia, Russian mig an ini ia i es in Ge -
many engage mo e wi h hei a ge audiences, and hei in e ac ions wi h
local ci il socie y and poli ical ac o s a e mo e di e se. They make conc e e
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
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demands on Ge man poli ics, calling o suppo o Uk aine, solida i y wi h
Russian ci il socie y ac o s and an unequi ocal dis ancing om he Russian
s a e. Fu he mo e, egime c i ics alue he eedom o assembly and o he
a ou able condi ions o poli ical ac i i y in Ge many. A he same ime, he
p o-wa mobilisa ion o some o he Russian-speaking mig an s is a sou ce o
con lic .
– In bo h coun ies, ac i is s sha e a common goal o suppo ing newcome s
om Russia, communi y building, and es ablishing ne wo ks o ci ic and
poli ical engagemen on-si e and ansna ionally. The e is a humani a ian
and a poli ical dimension o communi y building in his con ex : he ac i -
is s aim o posi ion hemsel es mo e isibly agains he K emlin egime. The
goal is o coun e ac he social and poli ical isola ion o he newcome s and
o encou age poli ical engagemen among hose mig an s who we e p e i-
ously a he apoli ical. The la e has, howe e , p o ed mo e di icul han
an icipa ed.
– Suppo ing newcome s in Ge many is conside ed by ac i is s among he mo e
es ablished mig an communi y as a way o consolida ing he p o-democ a ic
Russian diaspo a. Howe e , he e a e dispa i ies in social and cul u al capi-
al be ween newe poli ical mig an s and ac i is s who ha e li ed in Ge ma-
ny longe , bu we e no necessa ily engaged in poli ics p io o he ull-scale
Russian wa agains Uk aine. This makes coope a ion and in eg a ion in o
exis ing ini ia i es challenging.
– In Geo gia, p o iding in o mal social spaces and p ac ical assis ance o im-
mig an s is impo an because i encou ages ne wo king and s eng hens
mu ual us be ween di e en segmen s o he mig an popula ion.
– P o iding humani a ian elie o Uk ainians, including e ugees and dis-
placed pe sons, has become an impo an ield o engagemen among Rus-
sian mig an s. He e, di ec in e ac ion wi h Uk ainians emains possible o
some deg ee, while coope a ion in he a ea o poli ics is a mo e p oblem-
a ic.
– Ge many’s mig a ion egime is-à- is Russian ci izens is a less es ic i e
han in some o he Eu opean coun ies, bu i is mo e es ic i e han in
Geo gia. This has shaped he cha ac e and ex en o wa -induced mig a ion
om Russia o Ge many and also made lobbying o a humani a ian solu ion
ha p io i ises people a isk o ep ession a iable ield o ac i ism o Rus-
sian mig an ne wo ks.
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
5
In oduc ion
Russia’s ull-scale wa o agg ession agains Uk aine has esul ed in p o-
ound humani a ian, economic, and social c ises, wi h Uk ainians p ima -
ily a ec ed. The wa has o ced millions o hem o seek e uge in neigh-
bou ing coun ies, while many o he s emain in e nally displaced wi hin
Uk aine. I has also igge ed a ema kable mig a o y mo emen o hun-
d eds o housands o Russian ci izens, who ha e le hei home coun y o
a ious des ina ions, including o me So ie epublics in he Caucasus o
Cen al Asia and Eu opean coun ies. While he majo i y o hese mig an s
le in esponse o he changing poli ical and socie al clima e, a ocal mino -
i y was poli ically ac i e p io o depa u e and in e p e s hei mig a ion
as a way o s aying ac i e and main aining hei poli ical and social ‘ oices’
o he home coun y om ab oad. In some cases, people become engaged as
a eac ion o he Russian wa and a e lea ing he coun y. The inc eased
ac i ism o p e-exis ing mig an communi ies in Eu ope can also be a ib-
u ed o he wa and o ali a ian shi s in Russia. As a esul , a ansna ional
landscape o ini ia i es and indi idual ac i is s engaged in an i-wa p o-
jec s, olun ee ing, social wo k, and public ac ions has been de eloping.
Howe e , he g ass oo s engagemen o Russian mig an s is no always is-
ible o ex e nal ac o s wi hin hei hos socie ies.
Wi h his epo , we in end o con ibu e o a be e unde s anding o Rus-
sian mig an ac i ism in he con ex o he wa . The epo is based on a ZOiS
s udy1 and ocuses on Geo gia and Ge many as impo an hos coun ies o
poli ical mig a ion om Russia, albei o di e en easons. The ques ion
o whe he mig an s e ain hei public ‘ oices’ a e exi — o whe he hey
de elop hei ‘ oices’ a e exi ing a ep essi e se ing — is no new. A he
same ime, poli ical and ci ic ac ions by mig an s a e di ec ed no only o-
wa ds hei home coun y, bu also add ess di e se ac o s and g oups in
hei hos coun ies and in he ansna ional space. We he e o e wan o
ake a close look a he people Russian mig an s speak o. The epo ad-
d esses he ollowing ques ions: Wha a e he key cha ac e is ics o poli ical
and social engagemen among Russian mig an s in Ge many and Geo gia?
Which audiences do hey add ess wi h hei ac ions? Wha challenges a ise
when he mig an ac i is s add ess di e en audiences simul aneously?
Ac i ism, in he con ex o his epo , is b oadly unde s ood as g ass oo s
ac ion ha in ol es coo dina ion wi h o he s and/o is based on sha ed
iden i ies. I aims o challenge elemen s o he social, poli ical, o cul u -
al s a us quo, and add ess pe cei ed injus ices. As a pe son’s in ol emen
in ac i ism does no depend on hei sel -iden i ica ion as an ‘ac i is ’, we
spoke wi h indi iduals whose ci ic o poli ical engagemen signi ican ly
in luenced hei e e yday li es, ega dless o whe he hey iden i ied as ac-
i is s. The epo deals wi h ields o engagemen ela ed o Russia’s wa
agains Uk aine: Fi s ly, we examine ac ions in e p e ed as p ima ily an i-
wa . Secondly, we include collec i e ac ion wi h a humani a ian o o he
ocus i i is amed in e ms o esis ance o o esponsibili y o he wa , o
1 This epo isbasedonp elimina y indings omou pilo s udy‘Poli icalMig a ion omRus-
siaandAze baijan’,whichexplo es hemaincha ac e is icso  ecen mig a ion omRussia
andAze baijan oGe manyandGeo giain hecon ex o au ho i a ianshi s:h ps://www.
zois-be lin.de/en/ esea ch/ esea ch-clus e s/mig a ion-and-di e si y/poli ical-mig a ion- om-
ussia-and-aze baijan
The g ass oo s
engagemen o Russian
mig an s is no always
isible o ex e nal
ac o s wi hin hei hos
socie ies.

ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
6
as suppo o Uk aine and Uk ainians. Based on in e iews wi h ac i is s,
he epo seeks o imp o e ou unde s anding o Russian mig an engage-
men as g ass oo s ac i ism and add esses he ques ion o whe he hese
mig an s can become agen s o change in a ansna ional space in imes o
wa and c ises.
Da a and me hodology
The empi ical da a o his epo was collec ed in Ge many and Geo gia.
We conduc ed 7 expe in e iews and 38 semi-s uc u ed in-dep h in e -
iews wi h people ul illing he ollowing c i e ia:2
– cu en o o me Russian ci izens,
– esiding in Ge many o Geo gia,
– wi h emig a ion expe ience be o e o a e 24 Feb ua y 2022,
– in ol ed in poli ical and / o ci ic ac i ism in he pas and/o p esen .
The ollowing able shows he dis ibu ion o he esea ch pa icipan s
ac oss he wo coun ies and by he pe iod hey mig a ed om Russia:
Be o e 24 Feb ua y 2022 A e 24 Feb ua y 2022
Ge many 12 12
Geo gia 5 9
All he in e iews we e conduc ed be ween July 2022 and Augus 2023 in
he Russian language in Geo gia (Tbilisi) and Ge many (mainly in Be lin)
in pe son and ia Zoom. The in e iew guide included ques ions ela ed o
he socio-demog aphic cha ac e is ics o pa icipan s, hei decision o emi-
g a e and he si ua ion o mig a ion, he mig a ion p ocess and mo i a ions
o lea e, ci ic and/o poli ical ac i i ies p io o mig a ion, li e in he hos
coun y, cu en poli ical and/o ci ic ac i i ies, and plans o he u u e.
Addi ionally, wo ield ips o Geo gia in June and Decembe 2022 en iched
he empi ical da a wi h obse a ions a selec ed loca ions and in o mal
con e sa ions wi h mig an s a co-wo king spaces, books o es, and ac i is
e en s, as well as con e sa ions wi h Geo gian schola s and iends. A simi-
la app oach was aken in Ge many.
Awa e o he inc eased isks o poli ical mig an s and ac i is s om Rus-
sia, we ook measu es o ensu e he sa e y and ca e ul ea men o hei
da a, including de aul anonymisa ion. We used he MaxQDA so wa e pack-
age o quali a i e da a analysis. The quo es published in he epo a e no
exhaus i e, bu illus a e he mos common pa e ns we iden i ied. I we
men ion an a ilia ion when quo ing an in e iewee, his se es he pu pose
o con ex ualising hei backg ound and pe spec i e. I does no imply ha
hey a e speaking on behal o he ini ia i e o o ganisa ion in ques ion.
2 Wedono includeda acollec edamongpoli icalmig an s omAze baijan,who,simila  o hei 
Russiancoun e pa s,decided o poli ical easons olea e hei homecoun y o Geo giaand
la e  o Ge many.Acompa a i e iewon wodi e en g oups’iden i y o ma ionwillbe he
subjec o ano he publica ion.
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
7
The la es wa e o Russian mig a ion
O en desc ibed as an ‘exodus’, he wa e o wa -induced mig a ion om
Russia has ga ne ed signi ican a en ion om bo h he media and academic
ci cles since 24 Feb ua y 2022.3 In his sec ion, we will explo e he easons
o he heigh ened in e es in his cu en wa e and p o ide a b ie o e -
iew o i s no able ea u es, including he mig an s’ poli ical in ol emen .
Accu a e s a is ics ega ding he numbe o Russians who ha e le he coun-
y since 24 Feb ua y 2022 a e di icul o come by. The p ojec OK Russians
es ima ed ha a leas 300,000 people had le Russia by mid-Ma ch 2022.4
The sub-wa e igge ed by he mobilisa ion o a my ese is s in Sep embe
2022 u he inc eased he numbe o people leeing. Media ou le s di e
in he es ima es hey p o ide o he o al numbe o Russians who le . Reu-
e s, o ins ance, sugges ed ha a leas 500,000 Russian ci izens depa ed
a e 21 Sep embe 2022,5 while Fo bes Russia epo ed ha o e 700,000
Russians ha e led since he beginning o he wa .6
Resea che s iden i y wo sub-wa es wi hin his la es Russian mig a ion.7
The i s wa e, be ween Feb ua y 2022 and Sep embe 2022, p ima ily com-
p ised poli ically awa e indi iduals, in e na ional company employees con-
ce ned abou job secu i y, and poli ical ac i is s an icipa ing ep essions.
The second wa e, p omp ed by he announcemen o a pa ial mobilisa ion,
included a la ge p opo ion o young men wi h no clea poli ical posi ion on
he wa .
The geog aphy o he des ina ion coun ies se s his Russian mig a ion
apa om p e ious wa es. Acco ding o online panel su eys by he Ou -
Rush eam, new Russian mig an s ha e se led in o e a hund ed coun ies
wo ldwide.8 Gi en he u gency o hei si ua ion, hese indi iduals had li le
choice in he ma e o whe e hey mig a ed, no had hey he oppo uni y
o plan and p epa e o emig a ion. Some op ed o coun ies wi h no en y
isa equi emen s (such as Geo gia, Tu key and Is ael) o wi hou he need
o an in e na ional passpo (including A menia, Bela us, Kazakhs an and
Ky gyzs an).
These des ina ions se ed as empo a y shel e s o hose hoping o wai ou
he ini ial mon hs o he wa o apply o en y documen s o mo e desi a-
ble coun ies. Acco ding o Geo gia’s Minis e o In e nal A ai s, Vakh ang
3 Ju iResche o,‘Russianmili a ycall-upspa ksmajo exodus,’Deu scheWelle,24Sep embe 
2022, h ps://www.dw.com/en/ ussian-mili a y-call-up-spa ks-majo -exodus/a-63227879
4 Mansu Mi o ale ,‘Hund edso  housands leeRussiaandPu in’s“ wowa s”,’Aljazee a,18
Ap il 2022, h ps://www.aljazee a.com/news/2022/4/18/why-whi e-colla - ussians- lee- wo
5 FelixLigh ,‘Despe a iononRussia’sbi de sasd a -eligiblemen lee,’Reu e s,27Sep embe 
2022, h ps://www. eu e s.com/wo ld/eu ope/despe a ion- ussias-bo de s-d a -eligible-men-
lee-2022-09-27/
6 ElenaTo anjukandJuljaSap ono a,‘Rossijuposle21sen jab japokinuliokolo700000g azh-
dan,’Fo bes,4Oc obe 2022,h ps://www. o bes. u/socie y/478827- ossiu-posle-21-sen ab a-
pokinuli-okolo-700-000-g azdan
7 I inaTumako a,‘S anauby ija,’No ayaGaze a,27Decembe 2022,h ps://no ayagaze a. u/
a icles/2022/12/27/s ana-uby iia
8 EmilKamalo ,Ve onikaKos enko,I e aSe gee aandMa ga i aZa adskaya,‘Russia’s2022
An i-Wa Exodus:TheA i udesandExpec a ionso RussianMig an s,’PONARS,6Sep embe 
2022, h ps://www.pona seu asia.o g/ ussias-2022-an i-wa -exodus- he-a i udes-and-expec a-
ions-o - ussian-mig an s/
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
8
Gomelau i, in 2022, he numbe o Russian na ionals who c ossed he Geo -
gian bo de and en e ed he coun y was 869,874, while he numbe o Rus-
sians who c ossed he bo de and le he coun y was 809,873. I we look a
non-unique en ies acco ding o na ionali y in 2022, he e is a 400 % annual
inc ease in he numbe o Russians coming in, he highes inc ease in com-
pa ison o o he coun ies (See nex sec ion).
A ailable da a on his wa e o mig a ion indica es ha he depa ing popu-
la ion is gene ally younge , be e o and mo e educa ed han he a e age
Russian. The Ou Rush eam compa ed hei esea ch pa icipan s wi h Le-
ada Cen e da a on he basic cha ac e is ics o he Russian popula ion. I s
indings e ealed ha app oxima ely 80% o hose who le had comple -
ed highe educa ion o held MA/PhD deg ees, compa ed o jus 27% o he
o e all Russian popula ion. New Russian mig an s also ended o be be e
o , wi h 46% o pa icipan s able o a o d ela i ely expensi e appliances,
compa ed o 26% o he o al Russian popula ion. Be o e 24 Feb ua y 2022,
a ound 94% o he sample was employed.9
The cu en wa e o mig a ion is no he i s in mode n Russia o be ig-
ge ed by poli ical ac o s. P e ious ins ances o poli ical mig a ion we e
closely linked o domes ic poli ics, including mo emen s o ee elec ions,
p o es s like Bolo naya Squa e (2012), and legisla i e measu es exe ing po-
li ical p essu e on ci il socie y and he media.10 Subsequen o Na alny’s
imp isonmen in Janua y 2021, a new wa e o poli ically mo i a ed Russians
op ed o lea e, wi h isa- ee Geo gia eme ging as a p e e ed des ina ion.
The indings o he Ou Rush p ojec indica e ha new Russian mig an s a e
mo e poli ically engaged han he a e age Russian, wi h many epo ing
ecen ci ic ac i i ies and pa icipa ion in p o es s and poli ical ac ions.
They also ha e a heigh ened in e es in Russian domes ic poli ics. O e wo-
hi ds o esponden s dona ed money o independen NGOs and media (Feb-
ua y 2022). Mo e han hal expe ienced a ious o ms o poli ical p essu e
in Russia, including psychological p essu e, de ainmen du ing p o es s,
and police sea ches. A he same ime, 44% o esea ch pa icipan s epo ed
ha ing no expe ience o poli ical p essu e.11
Ano he su ey e ealed ha o e 40% o esponden s in Geo gia and A -
menia eel a sense o esponsibili y o he poli ical si ua ion in Russia.12
This s udy, based on da a collec ed in Decembe 2022, demons a es ha
o e 50% o esponden s a e in daily o weekly communica ion wi h people
in Russia ia social media o he elephone. Many mig an s belie e i is es-
sen ial o main ain social ies wi h amily membe s, colleagues, neighbou s,
9 EmilKamalo ,Ve onikaKos enko,I e aSe gee aandMa ga i aZa adskaya,‘Russia’s2022
An i-Wa Exodus:TheA i udesandExpec a ionso RussianMig an s,’PONARSEu asiaPolicy
Memo 790, 6 Sep embe 2022, h ps://www.pona seu asia.o g/ ussias-2022-an i-wa -exodus-
he-a i udes-and-expec a ions-o - ussian-mig an s/
10 JoannaFomina,‘Voice,exi and oiceagain:democ a ic emi ancesby ecen Russianemig an s
o heEU,’Jou nal o E hnic and Mig a ion S udies,47.11,(2021):2439.
11 EmilKamalo ,Ve onikaKos enko,I e aSe gee aandMa ga i aZa adskaya,‘Russia’s2022
An i-Wa Exodus:TheA i udesandExpec a ionso RussianMig an s’,PONARSEu asiaPolicy
Memo 790, 6 Sep embe 2022, h ps://www.pona seu asia.o g/ ussias-2022-an i-wa -exodus-
he-a i udes-and-expec a ions-o - ussian-mig an s/
12 FélixK awa zek,IsabelleDeSis oandGeo geSo oka,‘Russiansin heSou hCaucasus:Poli ical
a i udesand hewa inUk aine’,ZOiSRepo No.2/2023,h ps://www.zois-be lin.de/publika-
ionen/zois- epo / ussians-in- he-sou h-caucasus-poli ical-a i udes-and- he-wa -in-uk aine
New Russian mig an s
a e mo e poli ically
engaged han he
a e age Russian.
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
9
and iends who emain in Russia. In addi ion, mig an ac i is s con inue
o engage wi h hei home coun y no only h ough pe sonal con ac s bu
also by de eloping new communica ion pla o ms on social media aimed
a a b oade audience in Russia. This sugges s ha Russian dissiden s and
wa -induced mig an s who ha e le may s ill be able o e ade ep ession
and pa icipa e in Russian poli ics and socie al issues emo ely, a leas on a
mic o le el.
The ajec o ies ollowed by ac i is s- u ned-mig an s who con inue hei
poli ical and ci ic ac i ism ab oad a e mani old. Some ha e enough e-
sou ces and connec ions o pu sue hei ac i i ies unin e up ed, con ib-
u ing o jou nalism and ini ia i es in he a eas o human igh s, humani-
a ian aid and he en i onmen . This smoo h ansi ion con as s wi h he
delayed mobilisa ion ha is mo e common o ac i is s who had o lea e
Russia in a hu y and o en need some ime o cla i y hei legal s a us in a
new coun y, deal wi h bu eauc acy, and adap o new o ms o ac i ism in
he con ex o mig a ion. In some cases, mig a ion p omp s a change o o-
cus o opic among ac i is s- u ned-mig an s; hey may shi om a speci ic
o m o ci ic ac i ism o poli ical an i-wa ac i ism, o om ci ic educa ion
o p o iding hands-on humani a ian aid o o he mig an s o Uk ainian
e ugees. Qui e a numbe o ac i is s eel unable o con inue hei ci ic and
poli ical ac i i ies in a new con ex o due o bu nou . This pa e n can be
called ac i ism e i emen .13
No all mig an s had expe ience o social and poli ical ac i ism p io o lea -
ing he coun y; o many o hem, he mig a ion i sel becomes a igge
o his engagemen . Those mig an s- u ned-ac i is s ound hemsel es pa -
icipa ing in poli ical ac ions a e mig a ion, e. g. going o s ee p o es s,
olun ee ing o help Uk ainian e ugees, dona ing o NGOs and media, e c.
Ac i i ies ‘be o e’ and ‘a e ’ mig a ion can shed ligh on ac i ism as a dy-
namic p ocess. In ou in e iews wi h mig an ac i is s, i became clea ha
hei modes o engagemen and he na u e o indi idual and collec i e ac-
ions a e no s a ic bu unde go signi ican shi s in he con ex o mig a ion.
Con ex and cases: Geo gia and Ge many as
hos coun ies
The geog aphical sp ead o wa -induced mig a ion om Russia is ex emely
la ge. In he ollowing sec ion, we look a Geo gia and Ge many as wo di -
e en hos socie ies wi hou s ic ly compa ing hem. Whe eas Ge many
can be conside ed a adi ional immig a ion coun y, Geo gia, as a coun y
o ou mig a ion, aces signi ican challenges in aking in a high numbe o
immig an s om Russia.
13 Mo ein o ma ionon hedi e en pa e nso ac i isma e mig a ioncanbe oundin he ol-
lowingbook:JoannaFomina.Poli ical dissen and democ a ic emi ances: The ac i i ies o Russian
mig an s in Eu ope.London:Rou ledge,2021.
Mig an ac i is s
con inue o engage wi h
hei home coun y,
also by de eloping
new communica ion
pla o ms on social
media.
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
16
‘You p obably can’ change people’s minds, he people whom we call a -
niks [ a nik is a Russian e m used o desc ibe suppo e s o he K em-
lin’s p opaganda], bu you can always plan a seed o doub by s a ing
a discussion, igh ? I hink i someday people ha e he igh o choose,
hey can choose o hemsel es, and soone o la e hey’ll choose an-
o he sou ce o in o ma ion. No immedia ely. Some may no accep ha
channel igh away.
(Nina Alexa, F ee Russia Founda ion, Tbilisi, Decembe 2022)
In ano he example o social and poli ical engagemen di ec ed a he home
coun y, he new mig an s a e ying o s ay connec ed wi h di e en g ass-
oo s oices in Russia. Feminis An i-Wa Resis ance (FAR) is a g owing
ansna ional young women’s ini ia i e ha a ge s di e en audiences in
Russia. I was ounded in Feb ua y 2022 as a spon aneous ini ia i e o emi-
nis ne wo ks opposed o he wa . FAR p o ides psychological help and legal
assis ance o hose expe iencing poli ical opp ession in Russia. Wi h nea ly
40,000 ollowe s, i s Teleg am channel p o ides a ho izon al pla o m o
c i ical oices agains s a e p opaganda and a o um o local p o es ac-
ions by women in Russia. I s o ganisa ional s uc u e comp ising nume -
ous au onomous bu in e connec ed cells is ema kable.23 The FAR ne wo k
delibe a ely ies o each ou o di e en pe iphe al egions in he Russian
Fede a ion.
‘I alk o ac i is s om Russia e e y day [...] hey w i e: ‘A cop came by
in he mo ning, wha should we do?’ We moni o and manage o he
people’s secu i y — ha ’s wha we do now. Plus we suppo he p o es s
ha a ise on he g ound because we ha e he esou ces o make hem
beau i ul, loud, e ec i e, and isible, since we ha e been doing his o
many yea s. We wo k wi hin Russia in a a ie y o ci ies, unde g ound.
[…] We do an i-wa campaigns and o ganise closed e en s […] abo e all
in he egions.
(Da ia Se enko, Feminis An i-Wa Resis ance, Tbilisi, Decembe 2022)
Many cells a e well in o med abou he o he cells’ ac i i ies and exchange
in o ma ion egula ly. Ne e heless, local cells emain au onomous and
make decisions independen ly o o he uni s a he local le el. Since May
2022, FAR has been publishing he samizda newspape Zhenskaya P a da
(Women’s T u h), p in ed copies o which a e dis ibu ed in he Russian e-
gions by ac i is s and olun ee s. FIGURE 7 Wi h his newspape , FAR by-
passes he igh ened wa censo ship and pa icula ly wan s o each women
and hei amilies who a e no in e es ed in poli ics. The ac i is s do no
belie e in coo dina ion ‘ om abo e’ bu ins ead ely on anspa ency and
open ho izon al communica ion.
23 Seein:Bal icWo lds,Issue1 – 2(2023),h ps://bal icwo lds.com/back-issues/

ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
17
Ge many
As in Geo gia, p o iding suppo o ac i is s, human igh s de ende s, c i i-
cal jou nalis s, and o he people in Russia who a e opposed o he egime
and he wa has eme ged as a majo ield o ansna ional engagemen o
mig an ac i is s in Ge many. This p ac ical solida i y akes di e en o ms,
om o ganising ee psychological counselling o an i- ep ession wo k, o
example assis ing pe secu ed indi iduals by c owd unding o help hem
pay hei ines o an i-wa s a emen s.24 The solida i y ne wo ks in which
his happens a e no jus bila e al — be ween ac i is s in Russia and ano he
coun y — bu due o complex mig a ion pa e ns, hey ex end ac oss se e al
coun ies. This p esen s speci ic challenges o ac i is s ab oad, no leas in
ela ion o secu e communica ion channels:25
24 Thesecan un ose e al housandeu os,animpossiblyhighamoun  o mos peoplein he
Russianpe iphe y.
25 See:Da enLoucaides,‘TheK emlinHasEn e ed heCha ,’Wi ed,2Feb ua y2023,h ps://
www.wi ed.com/s o y/ he-k emlin-has-en e ed- he-cha /.
FIGURE 7
Newspape Zhenskaya P a da (Women’s T u h)
‘Mobilisa iono Li e’
Sou ce: Feminis An i-Wa Resis ance, h ps:// .me/ emagains wa , Janua y 2023
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
18
‘Well, you ha e o use op ions ha a e no always he mos con enien [...]
Bu some educa ion o people abou communica ion secu i y and he im-
po ance o i all happens o su e. The human ac o canno be excluded,
someone migh uck up somewhe e, [...] bu in p inciple, he skills and he
awa eness ha sa e y should no be aded o con enience, ha seems o
become so o sel -e iden , hough p obably no o e e yone.
(And ey,26 an ini ia i e suppo ing ac i is s in Russia, Be lin, May 2023)
Municipal depu ies (mundepy) a e a subg oup o new poli ical mig an s in
Ge many who ypically con inue o ca y ou he cons i uency wo k hey
did in Russia. In he con ex o inc easing au ho i a ian con ol o e highe -
le el elec ions, municipal elec ions, especially in S . Pe e sbu g and Mos-
cow, became a niche o opposi ional and democ a ic ac i is s pu suing
‘poli ics om below’. A e he beginning o he ull-scale wa and an i-wa
and egime-c i ical s a emen s by democ a ic mundepy,27 he s a e p essu e
on hem in ensi ied. Wo king on he e e yday p oblems o cons i uen s is
s ill possible om ab oad and e en desi able. Mo eo e , as one o ou in e -
iewees emphasised, pa s o he ac i e elec o a e who s ayed in Russia do
no in e p e he mig a ion o hei depu ies as ‘ unning away’ bu a he as
hei chance o e ain an indi ec an i-wa ‘ oice h ough exi ’:
‘[They old me] I ’s a good hing you wen away; you’ll be able o dissemi-
na e ou opinions a hese e en s because he e’s a lo o nonsense go-
ing on a hese an i-wa e en s, like he F ee Russia Fo um and Ilya Pon-
oma e ’s cong ess. The e is a lo o nonsense going on he e, we don’ like
i , bu nobody hea s ou oice he e, and you could p obably ep esen i .
(Vi aliy Bo a , municipal depu y om S . Pe e sbu g, B emen, June 2023)
Se e al ini ia i es/o ganisa ions ha eme ged (e. g. inT ansi ) o b oadened
hei p o ile (e. g. Solida us e. V.) a e Feb ua y 2022 ha e been collabo a -
ing ansna ionally wi h o he ini ia i es and ac i is s o help people a isk
o poli ical pe secu ion o lea e Russia and, in some cases, come o Ge many.
They we e in ol ed in he p ocess o implemen ing he new policy on hu-
mani a ian isas unde Sec ion 22 Sen ence 2 o he Residence Ac (see nex
sec ion on hos coun y audiences). The in o ma ion hey p o ided on eligi-
bili y and he p ocedu es in ol ed in ge ing a humani a ian isa o al e -
na i es p o ed in aluable o ac i is ne wo ks in Russia and i was lanked
by a ge ed suppo o ac i is s a isk.
‘We ha e a closed cha oom wi h a lo o use ul in o ma ion o ou e-
loca ing people, all kinds o memos, examples o isa applica ion o ms
and so on and so o h, so we began assis ing people du ing he eloca-
ion phase i sel .
(Julia, LGBTQ+ ac i is , Be lin, No embe 2022)
26 He eandino he caseswhe eonlya i s nameisgi en, henameso ou in e ieweesha e
beenchanged.
27 Themos p ominen examplea ep obablyape i ionandap oposal oS a eDumacalling o 
Pu in’simpeachmen :
AnnaPa lo a,‘Ch oby azu“Pu ina o s a ku”u idelikakmozhnobol’shezhi elejs any.
MundepyizPe e bu gap iz alikimpichmen up eziden a—i o ch oizje ogo yshlo,’Media-
Zona,17Sep embe 2022,h ps://zona.media/a icle/2022/09/17/mo-smolninskoye
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
19
The exi o poli ically mo i a ed ac i is s does no mean ha hey a e com-
ple ely ou side he home coun y’s poli ical sphe e. The s udy o mig an s’
engagemen wi h he home coun y poin s o he impo ance o main aining
long-dis ance links wi h he socie y in Russia, in pa icula wi h g ass oo s
ini ia i es, indi iduals, iends and ela i es. In pa icula , his helps o
sus ain ho izon al connec ions be ween exiled ac i is s and o dina y Rus-
sian ci izens in di e en ci ies and pe iphe al egions. Fo many ac i is
mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many, emig a ion allows hem o con inue hei
ac i i ies and ans e hei poli ical p inciples and p ac ices ac oss bo -
de s. Fo o he s, c i ical e en s like he wa ha e seen hem adop a ansna-
ional iden i y and widen hei scope o ac ion. FIGURE8
Hos socie y as audience and non-audience
The ela ionship o Russian mig an ac i is s o hei po en ial audiences in
hei espec i e hos coun ies a ies widely. Whe eas Russian mig an s in
Geo gia o en a oid di ec in e ac ions wi h he Geo gian audience, hose
in Ge many o en coope a e wi h Ge man ins i u ions as a way o ealising
hei goals.
Geo gia
Acco ding o a Geo gian mig a ion expe , local au ho i ies do no expec
ei he new mig an s om Russia o Uk ainian e ugees o s ay in he coun-
y o long. Fo ha eason, hey ha e been slow o adap he coun y’s
FIGURE8
Rally on 24 Feb ua y 2023, he anni e sa y o he Russian in asion o
Uk aine: ‘Vic o y o Uk aine – Peace o Eu ope – Democ acy o Russia’,
o ganised by Demok a i-JA
(‘F eedomFo Poli icalP isone s!’/‘S opPu in!S opWa !’)
Sou ce: Ta iana Golo a
Fo many ac i is
mig an s in Geo gia and
Ge many, emig a ion
allows hem o con inue
hei ac i i ies and
ans e hei poli ical
p inciples ac oss
bo de s.
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
20
mig a ion egula ion egime and de elop an in eg a ion policy o newcom-
e s. Acco ding o a policy analys a he Geo gian Ins i u e o Poli ics (GIP) in
Tbilisi, he Geo gian go e nmen ’s s a egy on Russians mig an s is ‘ ague’.
Many Russian mig an s in Geo gia also see hei ‘ eloca ion’ o Geo gia as
empo a y, bu hey a e unclea abou how long hey will s ay be o e mo -
ing back o Russia o o ano he coun y. Acco ding o ou obse a ions, ew
Russian mig an s lea n Geo gian and ha e social ies o Geo gian socie y.
Many ha e a good command o English and p e e o communica e wi h he
locals in ha language. The mig an ac i is s we in e iewed y o a oid
speaking Russian in public because hey know ha hei p esence as Rus-
sians in Tbilisi may be iewed c i ically and hey hemsel es associa ed
wi h Russian impe ial beha iou . Many o hem a e conscious ha he la -
es mig a ion wa e om Russia has igge ed s ong emo ions among Geo -
gians, including ea s o a enewed con on a ion wi h Russia.
Some Geo gian expe s ha e accused Russian mig an s o no being ocal
enough abou hei a i udes o he Russian go e nmen . When asked abou
he ex en o which hei collec i e ac ions and public an i-wa p o es s in
cen al Tbilisi ha e been no iced by locals, some ac i is s say ha ha is no
hei in en ion. Indeed, Russian mig an s a ely iew Geo gians as a po en-
ial audience o hei ac i ism and hey a e cu en ly eluc an o collabo-
a e wi h he uling pa y, he opposi ion o local ci il socie y.
‘We held all ou allies a he Uk ainian embassy o he In e es s Sec-
ion.28 We a e agains he idea o holding a ally in on o he Pa lia-
men in Tbilisi, because ha means ha you’ e asking he Pa liamen
o some hing, you’ e asking Geo gia o some hing — hey see i ha
way. So y, bu wha can we ask hem o ? These people ga e us he
oppo uni y o li e he e, so i would be w ong o s and in on o he
Pa liamen and decla e ‘No o he Wa !’ o ‘F ee Alexei Na alny!’
(An on Mikhalchuk, F ee Russia Founda ion, Geo gia, Decembe 2022)
These conce ns may be due o he ac ha poli ically engaged Russian mi-
g an s ha e had li le con ac wi h Geo gian socie y and i s ci il socie y o -
ganisa ions. The Geo gian discou se on isa es ic ions and he some imes
hos ile a i ude o he ecei ing socie y owa ds newcome s may limi he
scope o hese mig an s’ social engagemen and ne wo ks in he u u e.
Some ac i is s exp essed he eeling o no ha ing he igh o claim any-
hing om he Geo gian go e nmen :
‘Well, Geo gia has i s own opposi ion, Geo gia has i s own poli ical p ob-
lems, and I, o example, as a isi o , I do no eel com o able in e ac ing
wi h his communi y because I do no know he con ex ; I ha e no li ed
in Geo gia, I ha e no hing o do wi h i … The e o e, I did no eel com o -
able a he ally ha ook place o Geo gia’s Eu opean in eg a ion.
(Va a a, independen mig an s’ media, Tbilisi, June 2022)
28 RussianFede a ionIn e es sSec iona  heEmbassyo Swi ze landinGeo gia.
Russian mig an s a ely
iew Geo gians as a
po en ial audience o
hei ac i ism.
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
21
Ge many
Russian mig an ini ia i es in Ge many engage a mo e ac i ely wi h local
audiences and ha e mo e di e se in e ac ions wi h local ci il socie y and
poli ical ac o s. The e a e a ious easons o ha , including he p e ious
his o y o Ge man-Russian ci il socie y coope a ion and ins i u ional sup-
po o Russian ci il socie y, which has ecen ly been ex ended o ac i is s
in exile. The ‘humani a ian isa’ op ion ecen ly opened o dissiden s om
Russia is linked o ce ain expec a ions. Fi s ly, c i ics o he Russian e-
gime a e expec ed o con inue hei ac i i ies om Ge many, o ins ance,
in c i ical media p ojec s add essing Russian audiences.29 A he same ime,
Russian jou nalis s un he isk o s aying in hei ‘echo chambe ’, isola ed
om he mains eam Ge man media:
‘The e will be a big, se ious disas e a e a while because he e is a ce -
ain imp ession ha he Ge man media needs Russian-speaking jou -
nalis s. They don’ . The e is no hing. Only Bild managed o c ea e some
so o edi o ial o ice, a Russian-language channel […] and ha ’s i . All
six o se en newspape s said hey we e going o ha e Russian-language
desks. Whe e a e hey?
(Alexey Kozlo , Solida us e. V., Janua y 2023)
Secondly, hey a e expec ed o add ess membe s o he mo e es ablished
Russian-speaking communi ies in o de o coun e ac hei (pa ly eal,
pa ly assumed) suppo o Pu in and iden i ica ion wi h he cu en Rus-
sian egime.
‘They [some na i e Ge mans] app oached me and said ‘Alexey, you mus
igh he p opaganda he e in Ge many, we can help you wi h a came a
and any hing else you need.’ They would like o help. We a e discussing
possible o ma s because hey ha e many e hnic Ge man ese le s in
hei social ci cles who ha e li ed he e o a while and s a ed alking
bullshi ha i ’s Uk aine’s own aul .
(Alexey Schwa z, o me coo dina o o a egional
Na alny’s o ice, Ge many, Augus 2022)
Russian ac i is s ha e hei own expec a ions is-à- is Ge man poli ics
and make conc e e demands, calling o a clea dis ancing om he Rus-
sian s a e and suppo o Uk aine. In gene al, he egime c i ics alue he
eedom o assembly and o he oppo uni ies o poli ical engagemen he e:
‘I came o ealise ha poli ics in Ge many is, o he mos pa , illed wi h
people who came he e o wo k and wi h a desi e o make he wo ld a
be e place. I was a huge e ela ion o me, and I hones ly didn’ expec
ha , i was so inspi ing. I ealised ha jus by b inging in o ma ion,
inpu o some kind, and e elling wha is happening on he g ound, peo-
ple eac , and hey ge in ouch, and wo king g oups a e o med, and
some hing changes.
(Julia, LGBTQ+ ac i is , Be lin, No embe 2022)
29 Fede alP essCon e ence,Be lin,30.05.2022.

ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
22
Howe e , his basic us in s a e ins i u ions is occasionally shaken by con-
lic s. Fo ins ance, du ing commemo a ions o ma k he end o he Second
Wo ld Wa in Eu ope on 8 and 9 May 2022 in Be lin, he au ho i ies se e ely
cu bed he use o bo h Russian and Uk ainian symbols in ‘his o ically el-
e an ’ a eas.30 This s a egy o p o ec public o de and a oid con lic s be-
ween mig an g oups p e en ed he s ong demons a ion o suppo o
Uk aine ha a ious g oups, among hem he Russian mig an s’ ini ia i e
Demok a i-JA, had called o . To he disappoin men and ange o many ac-
i is s, he au ho i ies de ac o equa ed he symbols o he agg esso s a e
Russia wi h hose o Uk aine in his case. FIGURE9
An i-wa ac i is s om Russia a e eluc an o collabo a e wi h he Ge man
peace mo emen . They c i icised he o ganise s o he mass demons a ions
in he win e and sp ing o 2022 o ailing o adop he Uk ainian demand
o ‘Close he sky’ and o no gi ing enough p ominence o he Uk ainians
hemsel es. Since hen, he peace mo emen has been inc easingly domi-
na ed by an i-NATO oices and demands o Ge many o ‘s ay ou o i ’ and
no p o ide Uk aine wi h hea y weapon y, and o he wa o be s opped
immedia ely wi hou insis ing ha Russian oops wi hd aw om Uk aine.
30 I ini iallyhappenedin2023aswell,see hep ess eleaseby he‘ReclaimingRemem-
b ance’ini ia i e‘S a emen on heplannedbanonUk ainian lags& he h ea o censo -
shipo di e en ia ed,con empo a ycommemo a ion’(Seemo e:h ps://www. acebook.
com/102419902036813/pos s/556849886593810/?app= bl).
Sou ce: Ta iana Golo a
FIGURE 9
In T ep owe Pa k (Be lin) on 9 May 2023
Ag oupo p o-Uk ainianac i is speace ullydis up s heVic o yDayceleb a-
ions,mos lya endedbyRussianspeake s; hemili a isedna a i eso So ie 
ic o yinWWIIbecamecen al o legi imisingRussia’swa agains Uk aine.
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
23
These discou ses ecall he he o ic o he K emlin, which ames he wa
as a legi ima e de ence o Russia’s in e es s agains NATO, a aming ha has
been sha ply c i icised by an i-wa ac i is s om Russia. FIGURE10
Ac i is s and ini ia i es ha p o ide Russian ci izens wi h ad ice and con-
c e e assis ance in lea ing Russia o en con ac s a e ins i u ions in Ge ma-
ny wi h hei conce ns. The bene icia ies a e, i s and o emos , people in
Russia h ea ened wi h ep ession due o hei open opposi ion o he e-
gime and he wa . In some cases, he aim is o enable people who a e al eady
in a isa- ee coun y (such as Geo gia) o en e Ge many.
One o he ac i is s’ asks he e is o e i y speci ic cases and o demons a e
o he Ge man au ho i ies (e. g. he Fo eign Minis y) ha he equi emen s
o g an ing a humani a ian isa acco ding o Sec ion 22 Sen ence 2 o he
Residence Ac a e ul illed. They con ibu e hei knowledge o he si ua ion
in Russia, hei pe sonal mig a ion expe iences, and he social capi al o
hei ne wo ks in Russia, hus ac ing as in e media ies be ween Ge man
ne wo ks and ins i u ions and ac o s in Russia. Du ing he e i ica ion p o-
cess, hey ame he cases, e i ying h ough open sou ces and in o ma ion
p o ided by lawye s, NGOs and ac i is ne wo ks ha he c i e ia o ‘ isk
o pe secu ion’ and ‘ ies o Ge many’ a e ul illed. As a gued by one o ou
in e iewees, he humani a ian isas a e o hose who ha e sys ema ically
wo ked agains he egime and he wa and collabo a ed wi h Ge man o -
ganisa ions, so some people a isk o pe secu ion migh no i he c i e ia;
his calls o a mo e p ecise de ini ion o he equi emen s.
FIGURE 10
An i-wa ally on 21 Sep embe 2022
Theday hepa ialmobilisa ioninRussiawasannounced
Sou ce: Ta iana Golo a
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
24
‘I ’s no eally isas o people acing pe secu ion. Because he majo i y o
people acing pe secu ion, be o e hey go ou wi h a picke somewhe e
on he s ee in, o ins ance, Nizhny No go od, hey did no bo he o
con ac Ge man pa ne s and somehow a ange coope a ion wi h Ge -
man pa ne s in gene al. And hey a e a isk. And ye Ge man poli i-
cians con inue o sp ead he idea ha humani a ian isas a e o people
acing pe secu ion.
(Anna, inT ansi , Decembe 2022)
Ini ia i es like Solida us ha e been helping ac i is s a isk and poli ical
mig an s o a long ime, while o he s like inT ansi ha e only ecen ly been
es ablished o become poli icised. A he s a o he ull-scale in asion,
se e al ac i is s joined o ces wi h o he ac o s including ansna ionally
ope a ing NGOs (Amnes y In e na ional, Aus ausch e. V., Repo e s Wi hou
Bo de s, e c.) o lobby o an ins i u ionalised solu ion o g an ing p o ec-
ion s a us o Russian dissiden s.
‘Ou ac ic was o app oach poli icians o NGOs he e, hose who ha e
long had close ies wi h he Fo eign Minis y, and o e hem, on he one
hand, ou assis ance wi h e i ica ion o cases and, on he o he hand,
o le hem know ha we ha e lis s o people who need u gen help and
hey a e e i ied.
(Anna, inT ansi , Decembe 2022)
This kind o ac i ism is di ec ed a di e en a ge g oups. In addi ion o
hei ime-consuming wo k on conc e e cases, he ac i is mig an s dissem-
ina e in o ma ion abou he a he new p ocedu e o g an ing humani a -
ian isas and compa able en y op ions no only o ac i is s in Russia bu
also o Ge man and Eu opean poli icians and mig a ion expe s.
Mig an s as an audience
In bo h coun ies, mig an ac i is s om Russia also add ess o he mig an s,
including ‘ elokan y’ ( eloca ed people) and ‘expa s’ om he mos ecen
wa e o emig a ion as well as ep esen a i es o ea lie wa es o pos -So ie
mig a ion and Russian-speaking diaspo as.
Ge many
Gi en Ge many’s decades-long his o y o immig a ion om coun ies o he
o me So ie Union, ini ia i es ounded by ‘es ablished’ mig an s play a
p ominen ole in ecen p o-democ a ic ac i ism by he Russian-speaking
communi y. A e Alexey Na alny’s a es in Janua y 2021, se e al new in-
i ia i es eme ged and ne wo king among he ini ia i es in ensi ied. Wi h
he ull-scale in asion o Uk aine and he new mig a ion wa e, he ( ans)
na ional sel -o ganisa ion and ne wo king o ini ia i es and ac i is s who
pe cei e hemsel es as ‘an i-wa ’ and ‘p o-democ acy’ gained a new mo-
men um.
‘One yea be o e 24 Feb ua y, in Janua y 2021, when his wa e o p o-
es s began, some olun ee s go oge he , and we decided o come up
wi h a join ini ia i e and hen we w o e le e s o poli ical p isone s,
old hei s o ies, and gene ally aimed o mee Russians wi h p o-Eu ope-
an, p o-democ acy iews. […] Ac ually, we we e doing ha o a yea , and
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
25
hen a e 24 Feb ua y i became ob ious ha i you don’ go ou and do
some hing now, i ’s no clea who else will.
(Valen ina, Demok a i-JA, Be lin, Augus 2022)
Some ini ia i es in Ge many see new mig an s om Russia as one o hei
key audiences. Wo k wi h hem akes di e en o ms and has di e en ob-
jec i es. The mig an communi y — be o e and a e 24 Feb ua y 2022 — p o-
ides suppo ne wo ks and in o ma ion o people who plan o lea e Russia
o ha e al eady done so. Many ac i is s and o ganisa ions see hei goals as
in eg a ion, communi y building, and he in eg a ion o newcome s in o he
diaspo a. Communi y building happens on online pla o ms like Teleg am
and in ace- o- ace mee ings. In he changing legal landscape wi h ega d
o isas and esidence pe mi s, NGOs and ci ic ini ia i es p o ide o ien a-
ion o newcome s in wo kshops and alks abou se ling and o ganising
hei li es in Ge many.31 An i-wa picnics o ganised by Demok a i-JA in
he sp ing and summe o 2022 we e de o ed o gi ing p ac ical assis ance,
building connec ions and, a he same ime, ep esen ing he g oup’s poli i-
cal posi ion and alues:
‘Because on an e e yday le el, many people ha e ques ions abou inding
accommoda ion, inding a job, egis a ion, ob aining bene i s, ce ain le-
gal issues, anspo ing pe s, and so on. These a e in o mal consul a ions
bu in a elaxed a mosphe e wi h music, which could be called p o es
music, bu i is mainly jus Uk ainian music, in Uk ainian, in Bela usian.
(Valen ina, Demok a i-JA, Be lin, Augus 2022)
Suppo ing he newcome s is conside ed by ac i is s among he ‘olde ’ mig an
communi ies as a way o consolida ing he p o-democ a ic Russian diaspo a.
‘Ou main goal is o c ea e a well-o ganised diaspo a, mos ly o speci i-
cally om Russia. Because we know ha as long as Pu in exis s, poli i-
cal mig an s will come o us. And we would like hem no o be alone,
bu o ha e us he e, people who ha e been li ing he e o a long ime,
who know how li e in Ge many is in gene al and can help hem o adap .
(Eka e ina, F eies Russland NRW e. V. /
Feminis An i-Wa Resis ance, Ge many, Janua y 2023)
While communi y building is iewed as an inclusi e p ojec , dispa i ies and
inequali ies in e ms o social and cul u al capi al be ween ac i is s who
ha e li ed in Ge many longe and newe poli ical mig an s make coope a-
ion and in eg a ion in o exis ing ini ia i es challenging. I has also p o ed
di icul o mobilise less-poli icised new mig an s o some o ms o ac i -
ism, such as s ee ac ions. Di e ences ha e also eme ged be ween a ious
kinds o ac i is s: g ass oo s ac i is s and exiled poli icians some imes ha e
di e en ideas abou he easons o he wa , he esponsibili y o Russians,
and app op ia e o ms o opposi ion in emig a ion.
Emo ional, o ca e wo k is also seen as an impo an ield o ac i i y gi -
en he emo ional u moil, mul iple challenges and gene alised unce ain-
y aced by mig an ac i is s — especially wa -induced mig an s. As one
31 See‘BumazhkaDay’(‘Pape wo kDay’)o ganisedby heF eiesRusslandBe lina  heRe o um
Space,whe enewlya i edmig an scange assis anceindealingwi hbu eauc a icques ions.
ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
32
To sum up, Russian mig an s in Ge many and Geo gia a e simila ly engaged
in p o iding humani a ian suppo o Uk ainians in hei hos coun ies
and in a ansna ional con ex . Ye he ensions ela ed o public poli ical
ep esen a ion, which can be obse ed in bo h coun ies, a e mo e in ense
in Ge many.
Conclusion
Wha happens o ‘ oice’ a e ‘exi ’ in he con ex o wa and wa censo -
ship? Pu in’s s a egy o pushing ac i is s o lea e Russia does no seem o
be ha ing he desi ed silencing e ec . This epo has ound e idence o
oice h ough exi . Though only a mino i y o Russian mig an s a e poli i-
cally ac i e and pa icipa e in public p o es s, he ac i is s among hem e-
main closely a uned o de elopmen s wi hin Russia and di ec hei ac ions
and oices owa ds mul iple audiences in di e en coun ies. Social and
poli ical ac i ism is a highly dynamic p ocess in he con ex o mig a ion.
Wha eme ged om he s udy is a p oli e a ion o mig an s’ de-cen alised
ac i ism elying on ‘ho izon al oices’ di ec ed o he ou majo audienc-
es — home coun y, hos coun y, Russian mig an s and Uk ainians.
Unde he cu en ci cums ances, add essing audiences in Russia has be-
come especially challenging no only o an i-wa ac i is s in he coun y,
bu also o mig an ac i is s. Ne e heless, in Geo gia and Ge many, he
la e p o ide independen in o ma ion o people in Russia ia social media,
as well as inancial and mo al suppo o egime opponen s and ci il socie y
ac o s in he home coun y. The scope o his ac i ism includes legal ad ice,
psychological suppo , and p ac ical ools o exi .
Po en ial audiences in he wo hos coun ies a y widely. Russian mig an s
in Geo gia o en a oid di ec engagemen wi h Geo gian audiences. This is
due in pa o hei ea o being associa ed wi h Russian impe ialism and
in pa o Geo gian scep icism abou mass mig a ion om Russia. Geo gian
socie y’s cau ious a i ude owa ds Russian mig an s may play a ole in so-
cial isola ion o Russian mig an s om he ecei ing socie y and in he ways
in which mig an s’ engagemen , ne wo ks and p ac ices o esis ance o he
au ho i a ian egime a e e ol ing.
In Ge many, Russian ac i is s ha e mo e di e se in e ac ions wi h local
ci il socie y and poli ical ac o s and make demands o hem. The mig an s
in u n a e expec ed o isibly demons a e hei an i- egime and an i-wa
s ance.
In bo h coun ies, ac i is s- u ned-mig an s a e building new socially and
poli ically engaged diaspo ic communi ies ab oad as an inclusi e p ojec
ha encompasses humani a ian and poli ical goals, including suppo o
Uk aine, dis ancing om he Russian s a e, and solida i y wi h he opposi-
ion and people a ec ed by ep ession in Russia. In eg a ing he a ious mi-
g an ini ia i es and making hei commi men isible o an in e na ional
public is a majo challenge.
In bo h hos coun ies, he e is a dange ha ac i is s will p ima ily ex-
change ideas wi h like-minded people, wi hou hei poli ical ac i ism

ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023 Russian Mig an s in Geo gia and Ge many: Ac i ism in he Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains Uk aine
33
sp eading o o he mig an s and he gene al public. This echo-chambe e -
ec may weaken he social and poli ical pa icipa ion o Russian mig an s
in bo h socie ies. Especially in Ge many, gaps be ween gene a ions o mi-
g an s om he coun ies o he o me So ie Union and be ween people
wi h di e en mig a ion expe iences ha e become appa en . In ensi ying
coope a ion wi h some ‘olde ’ Russian-speaking communi ies, including
second-gene a ion mig an s, would allow ecen mig an s o bene i om
hei cul u al and social capi al and expand hei a ge audience.
No e e ybody who is agains Pu in’s egime and he wa is willing and
able o lea e Russia. Howe e , he numbe o poli ical mig an s om Russia
con inues o inc ease in line wi h g owing ep ession and sh inking spaces
o ac ion. Fo many poli ical mig an s who o iginally le Russia o o he
coun ies, Ge many is seen as a long- e m des ina ion. Tha is why i is im-
po an o he hos coun ies o be open o di e en mig a ion pa hs, such
as he humani a ian isa solu ion in Ge many, and o adap hei mig a ion
egimes o changing ci cums ances.
Building and main aining in as uc u e o suppo newcome s, an im-
po an a ea o Russian mig an ac i ism, will emain c i ical. Beyond he
con ibu ion his makes o p o iding immedia e humani a ian assis ance
in a si ua ion o unce ain y, he poli ical dimension should no be unde -
es ima ed: suppo ne wo ks can speed up he mobilisa ion o people who
ha e had o lea e u gen ly by helping hem o e come bu eauc a ic, inan-
cial and o ganisa ional hu dles. Such ne wo ked s uc u es ha e g own, bu
o a ain a highe le el o p o essionalisa ion and e iciency, hey will need
sus ained ins i u ional and in as uc u al suppo om ci il socie y and
poli ical ins i u ions in he hos coun ies. In Geo gia, policymake s and
he opposi ion ha e so a no shown much in e es in suppo ing he an i-
wa ac i i ies o Russian mig an s, whom hey end o iew as empo a y
esiden s in a ‘ ansi coun y’. Despi e he many unce ain ies, he Russian
mig an s’ ac i ism can con ibu e o he empowe men o democ a ic oices
among mig an s in bo h coun ies and o he o ma ion o a new Russian
diaspo a.
Imp in
Au ho s
Tsypylma Da ie a, Ta iana
Golo a and Da ia Skibo
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Ci a ion
Tsypylma Da ie a, Ta iana
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and Ge many: Ac i ism in he
Con ex o Russia’s Wa agains
Uk aine’, ZOiS Repo 3 / 2023,
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Repo _3_2023.pd )
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