Russia faces brain drain as thousands flee abroad

Many of the new emigres are tech industry professionals who can work remotely. A video games developer I met at a cafe in Tbilisi told me that he and most people he knew disagreed with Russian policy and they knew now that any protest would be violently suppressed.

“The only way we can protest is to leave the country, take our skills and money with us. Almost everyone in our circle has made a similar decision,” said Igor (not his real name). He plans to leave the Georgian capital, because he does not feel welcome here.

There have been numerous reports of Airbnb hosts refusing to let their properties to Russian and Belarusian citizens.

“I do not accept Russian and Belarus people” one host told a Belarusian couple, who shared their exchange with the BBC. “You do not have time for vacations – revolt against your corrupt governments.”

“They think we are running away from Russia because Apple Pay no longer works there,” Igor complained. “We are not running for comfort, we’ve lost everything there, we are basically refugees. Putin’s geopolitics has destroyed our lives.”

At Tbilisi’s public service hall, new arrivals are registering businesses or applying for residency.

Kristina and Nikita, who are both IT specialists from the Belarusian capital Minsk, have registered as sole entrepreneurs. That will allow them to open Georgian bank accounts.

“We don’t support our governments, which is obvious because we ran away. We want to be safe here,” said Kristina. “But we are being bullied just because of our nationality, I need to hide my country of origin, I don’t feel comfortable when people ask me where I am from.”

Since the start of the war Tbilisi has seen some of the largest rallies in support of Ukraine. A recent survey found that 87% of Georgians view the war in Ukraine as their own war with Russia.

But many Georgians are uneasy about this dramatic influx of Russians, as it is less than 14 years since Russia’s leader invaded Georgia.

Some fear President Putin might claim Russian citizens abroad need protection, because that was his excuse to justify sending troops into the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia in 2008. To date, 20% of Georgian territory remains under Russian occupation.

However, tech entrepreneur Lev Kalashnikov thinks Georgia will benefit from what he asserts is the biggest brain drain in Russia’s modern history. He opened a group for expats on the Telegram messaging app while standing in a queue.

“There were 50 people in front of me and 50 people behind me. They became my first subscribers and now we have nearly 4,000 members.”

Members discuss where to find accommodation, how to open bank accounts, and whether or not it is safe to speak Russian in public.

Yevgeny Lyamin is already learning Georgian, practising Georgia’s unique alphabet in an exercise book.

“I am against Putin, I am against war. I still can’t withdraw money from my Russian bank account, but that’s nothing like the problems that Ukrainians face.”

(BBC)