International

Fleeing war in Ukraine, Russians find home in Montenegro

LASTVA GRBALJSKA, Montenegro (Reuters) – Not lengthy after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, former opposition activist Elena Zaslavska was at her condo in downtown Moscow when there was a knock on the door from the police.

Their questions in regards to the function of her latest journeys to Dubai and Canada have been simply answered – Zaslavska had gone to go to her sons who reside there. However to the 60-year-old retired physicist and her husband the police go to was a transparent warning.

Inside days the couple had packed their luggage and have been headed for Montenegro, a tiny Balkan state that has develop into a refuge for 1000’s of Russians fleeing sanctions, army conscription or political oppression.

“There was no risk of remaining in Russia below its present authorities as a result of the whole lot that goes on there was incompatible with our views,” Zaslavska mentioned.

They’ve settled in Lastva Grbaljska, a village close to the Adriatic, the place life is calm and the local weather is nice. They survive on their pensions.

One other Russian to have made Montenegro his everlasting house because the invasion is Marat Gelman, a distinguished gallerist and outspoken Putin critic.

Final December the Kremlin positioned him on an inventory of ‘overseas brokers’ who should register and declare any funding or donations from overseas, and he has not returned house since.

Montenegro, house to only 620,000 folks, as soon as loved shut ties with Russia, however these soured over Montenegro’s determination to affix NATO regardless of warnings from Putin that its accession to the Western alliance was sure to outcome “in retaliatory actions”.

In 2016, Montenegro accused Russian intelligence officers and Serbian nationalists of trying to topple its pro-Western management, one thing Moscow dismissed as absurd.

The nation has however remained a well-liked vacation spot for Russians, who can enter Montenegro and not using a visa and keep for 30 days earlier than needing a residency allow.

In response to authorities information, Russians personal round 19,000 items of actual property in Montenegro, the place Russian investments equalled greater than 1 / 4 of its GDP in 2019.

Gelman mentioned that amongst Russians searching for refuge in Montenegro have been rich enterprise folks and their households, in addition to younger Russian draft dodgers fleeing army conscription to keep away from being deployed to struggle in Ukraine.  

    “Dad and mom are … utilizing their final cash to purchase their youngsters tickets to Montenegro and they’re renting them (lodging) right here, so they might not find yourself in that warfare,” Gelman mentioned.

    COMPANIES MOVING IN

    Companies are additionally relocating to Montenegro, which is within the means of changing into a European Union member.

In April, the nation joined EU sanctions in opposition to Moscow, together with banning Russian air carriers from its airspace in addition to Russian state media.

Artec3D, a Luxembourg-based producer of 3D scanners has just lately moved its analysis and improvement department from Moscow to a constructing overlooking the ocean within the southern village of Utjeha.

    Proprietor Artyom Yukhin mentioned 50 workers and their households had accepted a proposal to maneuver from Moscow to Montenegro. His firm had been already been in search of a brand new location in Europe however “the warfare pushed us to do it extra rapidly”, he mentioned.

In the meantime, neighbouring Serbia has additionally acquired an inflow of 1000’s of Russians because the invasion. In response to state Enterprise Registers Company, between Feb. 24 and Might 5 alone, Serbia registered round 480 particular person entrepreneurs and over 190 firms from Russia.  

    “Whole places of work, (teams of) 200 and 300 individuals are flying in,” mentioned Mikhail Lukyanchenko, 45, a software program engineer and a developer from Russia’s southern metropolis of Rostov on Don.

    Lukyanchenko mentioned he realised it was time to depart Russia “when it began on (Feb) 24.”

“I need to return house, I need to reside at house, however how the issues are creating, I can’t reside there now.”

(This story corrects spelling of dateline)

(Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Modifying by Raissa Kasolowsky)



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