Would you leave Russia?

[Popeye]

I’m not talking about investments like the other thread. I mean physically leaving if you were a Russian citizen. I have a young friend there who asked me that last night. She fears they will become, in her words, North Korea. She’s thinking about packing up and getting out forever.

I know there are members here who have done that kind of thing. I was wondering how you would advise someone? Advice, tips, warnings, etc.

I’ve often thought about how hard this would be when I am doing genealogy research and I get to the ancestors who made that leap.

 

[Fermion]

Last time Russia did this type of stuff (WWII), my wife's family left for the USA. Seems like it was a good call.

But hey your friend might like driving a Lada and waiting in line for bread.

 

[Aerides]

If I had a friend in Russia I would tell them to get a burner phone and get out, and stop with any international communications, or even domestic ones suggesting such plans, until I was safely out.

 

[MichaelB]

Some situations have no good choices, just bad and less bad. I think this is one of those.

 

[Jerry1]

If I were a Russian citizen, I probably would not leave. That's home and I'd want to stay. However, being outside of Russia and realizing the situation and the options, I'd recommend that person leave. Certainly, no simple choice.

 

[aja8888]

My grandparents left Lithuania around the late 1890's to get work in the coal mines in Pennsylvania. Any remaining relatives I have over there are not to be found. If I was in Russia or any nearby countries that were once under the old Soviet Union, I would get out as fast as I could.

But where would I go?

 

[easysurfer]

Those who have the choice are the lucky ones.

Watching the news coverage of what is going on is heartbreaking

 

[braumeister]

All my great-grandparents left Europe in the 19th century for North America. Different countries, different decades, different reasons. It has always been the way of the world that people vote with their feet for better opportunities.

I think that if I were Russian I would have already left. But of course I come from a long line of peasants. If you're middle class or higher, it would obviously be a more difficult decision.

 

[Popeye]

If I had a friend in Russia I would tell them to get a burner phone and get out, and stop with any international communications, or even domestic ones suggesting such plans, until I was safely out.

I like the phone idea. Also I will stress “operational security”. A couple of her friends are heading to India. Another has German relatives and may head in that direction.

How do people get money out if they have some modest savings? Cash, gold coins? I’m talking well under 6 figures.

 

[Gremlin]

I'd wear my savings out in the form of jewelry. Less noticeable than carrying gold coins etc.

 

[travelover]

I'd wear my savings out in the form of jewelry. Less noticeable than carrying gold coins etc.

Didn't work for the Romanovs.

 

[aja8888]

Didn't work for the Romanovs.

A real telling story on the cruelty of past Russian leaders. I wouldn't say that Putin is incapable of things like that.

 

[Retch The Grate]

As I said in an other thread, we got my wife's sister out last monday. She's in Istanbul for now, getting Sinovac vaccine because Sputnik isn't recognized by the US. Her US visa is good for another year so we're going to get her over to us as soon as possible. My wife had her pull all her money out of the bank when the invasion started, so she was able to get dollars and Turkish lira. We feel moderately confident that by the time she is vaccinated she will still be able to come here. Backup plan is to have my aunt vouch for her to get a visa for Ireland.

Her mom failed to get out, we got her to agree to come to Istanbul later, but it looks like she missed the window of her flight actually happening, two days sooner and we would have got her out, now it isn't clear and my wife's sister is trying to find an alternate route to Istanbul for their mom since she's on the ground there and hopefully has more up to date travel info than we do. Whether we try to get her mom to the US is a tough choice, she owns a two apartments (so she has one to rent out) and has a little dacha for the summer, she can grow her own food if she has to (part of how they survived in the 90s after the collapse of the soviet union), she has a pension from the state (she's an engineer, used to build/manage power plants), so leaving means giving up all of her existing security, so it isn't clear if she should. She's lived through Soviet times, which hopefully Putin isn't going to be any worse than for an old woman. So the should she stay or get out question is harder for her than for my sister in law, who is young enough that she has most of her productive adult life ahead of her at 29, even if she has to train to do something new (she studied architecture) like get into coding.

 

[NW-Bound]

My grandparents left Lithuania around the late 1890's to get work in the coal mines in Pennsylvania. Any remaining relatives I have over there are not to be found. If I was in Russia or any nearby countries that were once under the old Soviet Union, I would get out as fast as I could.

But where would I go?

I would go where myself have always wanted to go: a waterfront home on Rockaway Beach Road on Bainbridge Island.

 

[aja8888]

I would go where myself have always wanted to go: a waterfront home on Rockaway Beach Road on Bainbridge Island.

But it rains a lot there..?

(I would go to Disneyland)

 

[NW-Bound]

Rainy weather is perfect to stay indoors sipping a cup of coffee, or a glass of Cognac as you see fit.

And you have a canoe tied right at your own dock to go out to check the crab trap when the rain stops.

Seriously, I am sure there are Russians who want to leave, but where can they go, what will they do for a living?

If you have money, you can do whatever you want. Most people do not have the money to enjoy that freedom.


PS. Indeed, it's only money, or the lack of it, that keeps me from acquiring the view as shown in the above photo.


.

 

[aja8888]

Rainy weather is perfect to stay indoors sipping a cup of coffee, or a glass of Cognac as you see fit.

And you have a canoe tied right at your own dock to go out to check the crap trap when the rain stops.

Seriously, I am sure there are Russians who want to leave, but where can they go, what will they do for a living?

If you have money, you can do whatever you want. Most people do not have the money to enjoy that freedom.


.

Yes, the point I made above is unless one has a place to go, and a means to get out of Russia, leaving is not easy.

And, you should sell your mountain home and buy the above house. You can do it!

 

[NW-Bound]

Yes, the point I made above is unless one has a place to go, and a means to get out of Russia, leaving is not easy.

And, you should sell your mountain home and buy the above house. You can do it!

If I sell both of my current homes, maybe.

However, I like to have a home in Phoenix to be close to my children. They are Arizonans, and want to be here.

 

[Starsky]

If I were young, I'd probably leave for awhile if I could. I've read it's very hard to get out of Russia now, and I don't imagine Russians are getting a lot of sympathy. The cost of leaving is supposed to be immense given the Ruble exchange rate, although I'd expect most Russians hoard some Dollars or Euros as they always have.

 

[W2R]

Some situations have no good choices, just bad and less bad. I think this is one of those.

Absolutely, you are 100% correct IMO.

If I were a Russian citizen, I probably would not leave. That's home and I'd want to stay.

This is why I would not leave Russia if I was a Russian citizen. "Home" means so much to me. I think there could be significant hardships involved for those who stay, and if the person involved was not Russian or particularly committed to Russia, I'd say to get the F out ASAP. For many Russians, though, as MichaelB stated, sometimes none of the choices are appealing.

 

[W2R]

I would go where myself have always wanted to go: a waterfront home on Rockaway Beach Road on Bainbridge Island.

None of us are getting any younger! I hope you can spend some time there, if not move there, very soon. It's pretty although I have never understood the appeal that it has for you.

If I were aja8888, I'd go to New Orleans. But then, a surprisingly large majority of people don't want to live in New Orleans. Good! I could never have been able to afford my Dream Home if half the country was trying to move here.

 

[frayne]

If I had a friend in Russia I would tell them to get a burner phone and get out, and stop with any international communications, or even domestic ones suggesting such plans, until I was safely out.

No doubt the Iron Curtain is closing fast and only a matter of time until Putin stops people from leaving the country.

 

[NW-Bound]

None of us are getting any younger! I hope you can spend some time there, if not move there, very soon...

I have visited the NW often through the years. However, nobody has rented out their home on Rockaway Beach Rd on Airbnb for me to try it out to see if it is really like I think.

It's pretty although I have never understood the appeal that it has for you...

And that's why they say YMMV.

Back to Russia, I am sure some Russians would want to leave, some would want to stay. I would leave if I could.

As much as I loved my country and my people, living under an authoritarian regime would take away too much of the joy of life.

And I like to think of myself as a citizen of the world.

 

[Act2]

If I was young or had children, I would leave (taking the kids with me). I do not see a lot of opportunities for the young people there for awhile. But I do understand the pull of home.

 

[aja8888]

I wonder if you can still get a Russian mail order bride?

(not that I am in the market...just asking for a friend)