Russians who fled at outbreak of Ukraine war reluctantly go home

When the war began, Olga Gladysheva, a former journalist who now works in video production, joined tens of thousands of other Russians fleeing the country.

But in Turkey her bank cards were blocked and she could not transfer money home to support her mother in Moscow. She survived by asking favours from friends who had access to funds.

Experts say the wave of Russian migration provoked by the war is unusual, sparked by rumours of a forced mobilisation in early March and led by highly educated workers often travelling to smaller countries. And at least on paper, many have the option to return for either short trips or permanently.

But after five weeks in the capital, Yerevan, he had returned to Moscow temporarily because of family and business concerns.

It was an uneasy homecoming. His parents, who live in another city and support the war, have told him he was wrong to leave Russia. He says he finds it difficult to call them and does not expect to see them until the conflict ends.

A number of factors could make it difficult for Russians travelling abroad, said Katrin Sommerfeld, a researcher at the Mannheim-based Centre for European Economic Research who focuses on refugee immigration. She has published a paper calling on German policymakers to bring forward a strategy on how to deal with migrants from Russia.

Some of those returning say they are often surprised by the indifference to the war.

In a recent poll, over half of Russians said they were not closely following the war.