This blog post examines the Russian diaspora from a historical perspective, focusing on migration patterns. A clear difference is identified between how the Russian diaspora was understood in the past and how it is viewed today, including changes in the meaning of the term itself. Major shifts in migration trends are also explored, particularly the development of new diasporas that remain connected to their historical roots.
Russian Emigration: A Historical Overview
Key migration patterns should be considered when examining the Russian diaspora historically. The first Russian community that likely comes to mind is the one in Brooklyn, specifically the “Russian Americans in New York City.” New York has become a hub for a large population of Russian-speaking people, primarily from Ukraine and Russia. Four major migration waves are generally considered substantial in Brooklyn’s Russian community: the Russian Civil War (1917-1922), World War II, the emigration of Russian Jews in the 1970s, and the large influx of migrants during the collapse of the USSR. Interviews with individuals in New York suggest that many in this community struggle with integration. They maintain strong ties with their homeland, often avoiding learning the local language or adapting to the culture. Despite rebuilding their lives—sometimes even thriving—they often grapple with the question, ‘Where is my home?’
Another significant Russian community emerged in Turkey following the collapse of the Soviet Union. This wave, primarily composed of women who migrated without proper documentation, language skills, or support in the host country, seeking to escape the economic turmoil in post-Soviet Russia, ongoing revolutions, and poverty. Unlike earlier migration waves, this one did not result in the establishment of a long-term Russian diaspora in Turkey. As a result, these migrants fled from uncertainty only to encounter new uncertainties in Turkey.
It is important to note that during this period, the term “Natasha” as a stereotype associated with Russian women who migrated to countries like Turkey, often under precarious circumstances. It became a loaded term, frequently used pejoratively, to describe women involved in informal work, particularly in the entertainment and sex industries. Some migrants struggled to establish themselves in Turkey, while others managed to marry or build careers over time. However, the “Natasha phenomenon” remains a stigma and a reminder of that migration wave.
One of the most “atypical” forms of the Russian diaspora can be seen in those who migrate to Turkey for reasons related to education, work, or marriage, particularly in cities like Istanbul, Antalya, and Ankara. This blog will explore the evolving patterns of migration, noting how one form of migration can easily flow into another and how the perception of migration and the “typical newcomer” has shifted.
Marriage migration to Turkey has emerged as a distinct type, different from the Russian community in Brooklyn, for example. These newcomers are more assimilated into Turkish culture, utilizing the internet to prepare for relocation, learning the language, and adapting to cultural differences. Many of these individuals have also created blogs and online platforms where they share their experiences, challenges, and successes.
For instance, a woman known as Amaliya moved to Istanbul in 2009 after meeting her husband in Moscow. She started her career as a professional photographer, using her blog to share tips about life in Turkey, including places to visit and her relationship with the country, where the minarets of mosques reach the heavens. Similarly, Yulia Sen moved to Istanbul in 2016 for business reasons and established a wedding agency, primarily organizing weddings in Cappadocia. This highlighted the untapped business potential in Istanbul at the time. Another blogger, Maps_Istanbul, serves as a tour guide in Istanbul, sharing stories about unusual routes and must-see locations. She is now an ambassador for “Aviasales” and has published tour guides for newcomers. Katerina_duyar, another notable figure, pioneered the concept of “bachelorette parties” in various Turkish cities, catering to a Russian-speaking audience.
While some members of this new wave have found success, others have faced challenges. Alina Shvetsina who moved to Antalya in March 2024 when Turkey was still an affordable destination, soon realized the stark difference between visiting a country and settling there permanently. She encountered difficulties such as renting housing, acquiring and renewing residence permits, and facing language barriers.
The examples above illustrate the emergence of a new Russian diaspora in Turkey. Despite facing numerous challenges, many of these migrants have fully assimilated into Turkish society. Reasons for this continued migration range from education (as part of the well-known “brain drain” phenomenon) and professional opportunities to marriage. The visa-free regime between Russia and Turkey also facilitates ease of travel. The Russian diaspora in Turkey serves as a testament to the country’s role as a major destination for Russian migrants. Starting from scratch, they have built their lives, gathered communities, and continued to help newcomers settle in Turkey.
A New Russian Diaspora in the Making
Since the crisis in Ukraine, Russians have formed a significant diaspora group, with many holding short-term or long-term residence permits, while others are seeking citizenship for more permanent stays. It’s not hard to understand why many chose Turkey as their relocation destination, given the visa-free regime that allows entry without specific documents.
This new migration period has brought noticeable changes in the profile of the typical Russian migrant. After the events of February 2022, people began to look for a new place to relocate. On the one hand, a large amount of people was trying to relocate to another area in order to avoid being involved in the conflict. Initially, people from independent media sources and the IT sector migrated in the first wave, and the Government of the Russian Federation, consequently, has noticed this outflow and introduced some benefits for people from the IT sector. For example, as it`s written on Forbes.ru, the government has introduced national projects in order to support the IT sector. On the other hand, some people relocated to another country in order to not to be associated with one of the parties to the dispute, as they were trying to protect themselves and their families, moving abroad. Traditionally, a Russian migrant was often a young man from a well-off family who went abroad to study at a Western university or was recruited by a foreign company for his talents, particularly in IT. This older category of migrants differs from today’s reality, as they often sought career prospects, a comfortable life, and new opportunities.
In the current aspect, the profile of newcomers varies greatly. In addition to young IT and tech specialists, many families and women aged 25–45 have also migrated to Turkey. This wave of migration is characterized by newcomers of various jobs, but it’s vital to stress that the process of “brain drain” has been re-emerged in this time as well, as most academics, scientists and writers fled from the regime. However, businesspeople constituted a large amount of “relocants” as in March-April 2022, they began to buy property in Turkey, mainly in Alanya and Istanbul, which affected the growth of housing prices greatly.
Most newcomers are from middle and upper-middle-class backgrounds as most of them are in the middle age with their own job, income and savings. In general, their motivation in settlement in Turkey – geographically, Turkey has a convenient location, it is not an unknown and distant Europe, but a country with the easier entrance, and is located not that distant from Russia. So, most of the newcomers are trying to escape from the regime of power, political uncertainty and instability. However, after about six months, many found themselves in a difficult situation. People fled from instability, but, after a while, they had a clear picture of their current situation: they became disconnected from their usual life. The newcomers find themselves without support they used to have at home, sometimes without family, friends and their previous way of life. All this factors in common could push them to return home, since it is nearly impossible to arrange a habitual way of life from the scratch in another country with momentary motivation alone.
The current migration influx from Russia can be divided into two major waves: the first in March 2023 when many families, IT specialists, and journalists fled the country, and the second consisting mainly of young men. This new wave of emigration has brought its own form of “homesickness,” manifesting in the longing for familiar services, lifestyles, and conveniences that are difficult to find abroad.
In many cases, those leaving the country in order not to being involved into the conflict, have found the assimilation process more challenging. With limited financial resources and difficulty obtaining proper documents or residence permits, many find themselves “without firm legal footing” abroad. After the initial rush of excitement that came with leaving, the euphoria fades, and newcomers may feel trapped between two worlds as a new reality sets in.
A large proportion of migrants’ views can be captured in the words of Plutarch: “At night, in the desert field, far from Rome, I pitched my tent, and my tent was my Rome.” Opinions on life abroad vary—some believe that financial resources are all that matter, while others hold that success depends not on income but on one’s ability to rely on their own strength. If you’ve learned to overcome difficulties in your homeland, they argue, you can face them anywhere. But what happens when the challenges of emigration become overwhelming?
ARK Project
Eva Rappoport is one of the coordinators of the “Ark” project in Turkey, which was established in March 2022. The “Ark” and the “Russian and World Comedy” project aims to help Russians which left the country after the events in February 2022. During the first wave of emigration, Ark assisted with accommodations, residence permits and finding apartments. Journalists facing arrest or persecution also sought their help. Now, it is grappling with the second wave of migration, as more people left the state. “The war was a huge shock to everyone in my social circle, to everyone I spoke to. I went to protest because no one knew what to do,” said one of the new arrivals.
The core mission of the project is to create a community where newcomers won’t feel lost in this vast city and can maintain connections with their families. Turkey remains one of the few destinations where Russians can travel easily with their passports. This reflects history repeating itself—100 years ago, Russians came to Istanbul, and now, they are returning once again.
Migration is a complex process. Everyone faces unique challenges, shaped by their personal history, character, and circumstances. Some people manage to assimilate quickly, eager to distance themselves from their homeland’s context. “I’ve been in Georgia for exactly two years and three days. I love this country—in Russia, I never felt as at home as I do in Georgia,” said Anton Maslov, a musician, in an interview with Jellyfish. On the other hand, some struggle to assimilate due to language barriers, unfamiliar cultures, or unmet expectations. As a result, they lose their zest for life and find themselves merely surviving in a foreign land.
Overall, migration has never been an effortless process. This process is like a whole organism, with its own patterns, traits, difficulties, where emotions and sensations replace each other every day, especially if migration was caused not by a personal decision, but by external factors. Here I tried to compare migration waves to Turkey across different periods, highlighting changes in migrant profiles, motivations, and adaptation processes. I aimed to analyze migration waves from two perspectives, incorporating diverse opinions and assessments of relocation to create a comprehensive and realistic depiction.
*All the names which were mentioned in the text has been made anonymous for privacy and ethical issues.
**Polina Rachina is a student at the National Research Lobachevsky State University in Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia, specializing in migration and far-right political parties, with a particular focus on France. During the last academic year, she participated in the Erasmus program as a student in the Department of International Relations at Özyeğin University, Istanbul, where she interned with Professor Deniz Sert. This article represents her attempt to analyze Russian migration to Turkey over time and explore the consistent changes in migration patterns.
*** The ideas and opinions expressed in GAR Blog publications are those of the authors; they do not reflect those of the Association for Migration Research.
**** The image created by ChatGPT
