Emigration is not a bed of rose petals

When he came to Belgrade with his family two years ago, Sergej "deeply and sincerely fell in love" with this city. "I consider it a new home," says the thirty-seven-year-old Muscovite to "Vreme". He came to Serbia in February 2023. "Despite the fact that I love many things, that the living conditions are pleasant, almost every day I wake up with the thought: 'What am I doing here?', 'Why am I here?', 'Where is my home?'", he told "Vreme".

And he is certainly not the only one who asks himself such questions every day. Three full years have passed since the first bombs rang out in Ukraine. The bloody conflict claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, and the Russian invasion led to the largest forced migration in Europe since the end of World War II. Three years later, ten million Ukrainians are still living outside their homes. Due to the repressive regime of Vladimir Putin and the fact that they will not participate in the war, about a million inhabitants left Russia. The possibilities of where they can go are limited and so many of them found refuge in Serbia. Data from e-tourist and the Republic Institute of Statistics estimate that between 80.000 and 100.000 Russians currently reside in Serbia. Most of them are in Belgrade.

Although he loves Belgrade and plans to continue his life there, Sergej says that starting life from scratch in a new environment is not an easy process. "Emigration is not a bed of rose petals. We lost friends, relatives, we can't give children to grandparents for the weekend, they won't show up unexpectedly to see us. My wife, for example, lost a lot of social connections, but also a sense of self-importance, professional identity. Her job remained in Russia. I don't want to complain, this feeling of emigrant life doesn't leave me, but I just have to accept it", says Sergej. He continued the same work in Belgrade as in Moscow. "I have a good salary, I don't make millions as an IT worker, but it's enough to support my family."

FEAR OF EXPULSION

An engineer from the city of Saratov on the Volga also considers Belgrade his new home. He arrived in the capital of Serbia - more than 2.000 kilometers from his birthplace - in March 2022. He wants to remain anonymous because he is afraid of deportation. "Since the first month, I feel at home in Serbia. This is a country that was in a difficult situation, survived wars, sanctions and dictators. People here like freedom much more than in Russia", he told "Vreme", insisting that he communicates in the Serbian language because that way he adapts to a new life more quickly. "Many have learned the language, have a job here and do not think about the future in another country. However, there are many who do not learn the language and do not integrate into society, because they live here in constant fear of expulsion. Now I see that maybe they are right. The government of Serbia is not interested in new residents from Russia, all requests for citizenship have been stopped without an answer", says this engineer who makes 3D models and drawings. He started a new career in Belgrade, he says it was difficult.

According to data from the Belgrade Center for Security Policy, from the beginning of the Russian aggression against Ukraine until the end of 2024, more than 67.000 Russians in Serbia received temporary residence permits.

For "Vremena" interlocutor, citizenship is the most important issue. "There are people who became stateless because of this policy and live without any citizenship in Serbia. "Serbia is now losing 50.000 inhabitants a year, I think that with this policy they will lose another 50.000 Russians who came to build a new life," he told "Vreme". And while the state, as he states, does not listen much to them, the hospitality of the people in Serbia is "incredible, sincere and great". He adds: "I have a lot of friends in Serbia, Serbs and Russians."

During the summer of 2023, Serbia began to ban the entry of Russian citizens who oppose the war in Ukraine or to revoke their right to temporary residence. Decisions on cancellation of hospitality or expulsion were made after the US imposed sanctions on the then director of the Security and Information Agency of Serbia (BIA) Aleksandar Vulin, among other things, because of his ties to Russia.

Therefore, the other interlocutors of "Vremen" also want to remain anonymous or to be represented only by name because they are afraid of the consequences of public speaking.

WE STAY HERE

The Russians who came to Belgrade influenced the life of this city, socially, economically and culturally. If you walk around the capital of Serbia, you will often hear the Russian language, and it is not unusual to stop for coffee, lunch or a drink in one of the bars run by Russians, as well as to find some of the specialties from this country on the menu. There are also Russian bookstores, kindergartens... According to the data of the Agency for Business Registers from the year 2024, more than 2.300 commercial companies and about 10.000 entrepreneurial shops were registered in Serbia, the founders of which are Russian citizens, and the majority deal with programming, non-specialized trade, consulting and catering.

BCBP research showed that almost half of Russians plan to stay in Serbia for at least another five years, and almost 60 percent of them would return to their home country, provided the war ends.

Among those who stay regardless of everything are Kirill and Sasha. Both are from Moscow, but they did not know each other before arriving in Belgrade. Sasha arrived with her son in March 2022, and Kirill a few months later. They met in April 2023, through the "DrugDrugu" project initiated by the Russians with the idea of ​​cultural exchange between Russian-speaking immigrants, Russians and Serbs. In June 2024, they got married in the Russian embassy. In the meantime, they bought an apartment.

"The end of the Russian-Ukrainian war will not be the end of internal terror in Russia. We can't just rely on what 'they' in Russia will do next, what someone will think of. Here our lives are not on hold, we are trying to move forward. It takes time and optimism. It's hard, but it's worth the work. That's why we bought an apartment and got rid of the suitcases in the living rooms", say Kiril and Saša.

NEW HOME AND NOSTALGIA

photo: private archive

Sergej and his family are still tenants. He speaks Serbian, according to his own assessment, at an intermediate level, but quite enough for everyday communication. Learning the language helped him integrate. "It was not difficult for me to start learning Serbian. I read all the signs on the shops, the advertisements on the walls, the price tags in the windows. I listened to people talking in the store, in the lines. I used a lot of online translations: I translate the phrase into Serbian, then repeat it. I attended courses at work, and I also took extra lessons with my son and the teacher. I know that not all Russian emigrants have the incentive or strength to learn Serbian, but I am really interested in it," he says.

In the beginning, his main difficulties were enrolling his children in school and kindergarten, submitting documents to the Ministry of Interior, talking to the owner of the apartment or calling the plumber. "These are all simple tasks, but I did them in a new environment, in a new language. They say that at home even the walls help, here only the 'walls' were new. It helped me a lot that I read a lot of memoirs and diaries of emigrants from the past. I realized that I would have similar problems and that from time to time my soul would be tormented by longing for home. I just accepted it and when I'm especially sad, I think that's the way it should be. This is fine", says Sergej.

With a friend, he started the Telegram channel of the Russian community in Serbia about events in Belgrade, and he occasionally publishes interviews and articles about contemporary Serbian culture in the Russian media.

THE REGIME WILL NOT VALID EVEN AFTER THE WAR

photo: private archive

In recent weeks, the achievement of peace has been mentioned more and more often. The Russian and American administrations are sitting at the same table for the first time since the beginning of the conflict, which opens up new opportunities for diplomatic negotiations. The interlocutors of "Vremen" are not optimistic about the end of the war and what it could bring.

Journalist Maša arrived in Belgrade a year and a half after the war began and tells "Vreme" that she wants to stay here. "Even when the war ends, the regime will not be democratic. I like Serbia and I would like to start a small business. I would like to participate in the democratization of Russia and go home often if there is any chance that something will change, to volunteer and work on projects to return my country to normal," she says. She doesn't miss Russia as a country, but she misses people. "Mom, friends, my cat. I miss my life before the war or even the time before 2019 when I was younger and when Russia was more democratic. We had a lot of hope and energy. But after those years, it just got worse and worse."

Sasha and Kirill say that while the negotiations are ongoing, the level of combat operations in the real war is only increasing. "We see that both countries, the USA and Russia, are looking for the most profitable moves. If they find something in common, none of us can expect it to bring happiness, it will only be done cynically and rudely. Ordinary people will not benefit from this situation. It is about something that looks like 'business' politics in the name and at the expense of ordinary citizens. "The end of the Russian-Ukrainian war will not mean the end of internal terror in Russia," they say.

Sergei hopes for the end of the war soon, but he fears the world created by this war and what will follow. "Almost every day I feel pain because of how much this war has destroyed it. Ukraine lost land; cities were destroyed to the ground. Millions perished. This is a great evil. Tens of thousands of Russians were burned. Morality and ethics are broken, and lies are elevated to a pedestal. An unequivocal dictatorship was established in Russia. With all this, my main hope now is for the guns to go quiet. So that people stop dying."

ESCAPE FROM MOBILIZATION

photo: private archive

When Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on partial mobilization in September 2022, for some it was a signal to flee the country. Among them is Ivan, who today lives in Belgrade with his wife and six-year-old son.

"First we went to Kazakhstan, and then we moved to Serbia. We moved here so our son could adjust to school on time. We are learning Serbian, exploring the country and culture, and plan to stay. Of course, there are many aspects of Russia that we miss. One of the main benefits we lack is the level of digitization – especially online markets and advanced banking services. In Russia, banking and delivery services are extremely efficient, while in Serbia, as non-residents, we still face challenges such as the inability to open bank accounts for residents. Besides practical things, what we miss the most are our family members. Not being able to see our parents and relatives often is the biggest loss. However, we do not miss the harder aspects of life in Russia. In Serbia, we appreciate the milder climate, the warmth and cordiality of the people - characteristics that differ from the often more reserved attitudes we experienced at home, especially towards children. Although there are elements of Russian life that cause nostalgia, we have gained many new and positive experiences by moving here", says Ivan.

He visited Russia twice in the meantime. "The first time we came back was when we decided to leave Kazakhstan to resolve some legal issues. The second time I traveled was in February 2024 for work. Both visits were strange - Russia seemed both familiar and noticeably different at the same time. My feelings about the country have changed over time. Crossing the border was somewhat stressful because of the possibility of interrogation or unexpected problems, but nothing serious happened.”

Ksenia is also from Yekaterinburg. She did not come to Belgrade from Russia, but from the United States, where she lived for some time. Her first visit to Belgrade was in 2013 and she says that moving to this city was, in a way, her return home. "I missed Russian culture in America, so I'm happy to be able to participate in cultural events organized by the Russian community here - the 'little Russia' they've created," she says. Still, she misses her hometown. "Belgrade is beautiful and in many ways it feels like home, but there's something special about walking through the streets that I've known since childhood - it's a different feeling." Ksenija writes about these feelings in the book about refugees, the Serbian edition of which is being prepared: "For a long time, I wanted to write stories for refugees - for those who lost their homes and are forced to wander, living in constant fear of the future. Of course, these stories are not just for refugees, but for anyone facing hardship. It was important to meet the psychological needs of readers, to write about struggles that would resonate with them. Stories have a natural healing power - they remind us of childhood, of belief in miracles and magic. I deliberately weave therapeutic elements into the stories. Each is written to help process a specific emotional challenge: fear, loss, traumatic memories.”

PRICES ARE RISING, DEAR SLAVICE

One of the most visible effects of the Russian arrival in Belgrade is the increased demand for real estate. Many Russians have decided to settle in Belgrade and invest in real estate. This led to an increase in real estate prices in certain parts of the city, especially in central and attractive areas such as Vračar, Savski venc and New Belgrade. Moscow, where Sergej lived with his family before the war, is an expensive city, and the prices in Belgrade, he says, are in some respects similar, and even higher. "In Belgrade, taxis are noticeably more expensive, as are the prices of electronic devices. Electricity is more expensive than in Russia, as are internet and mobile telephony. I notice that the prices are rising, and the bills are coming, dear Slavica. I am calm that the rental prices have increased due to Russian emigration: for me, this is a situation in which the people of Belgrade could make decent money, and we will find a way to pay", concludes Sergej.

Protest observer

The fourth year of the war in Ukraine has begun, and the fourth month of mass protests is going on in Serbia. The Russians who are in Belgrade do not want to talk much about them, nor do they participate in them, according to a recent BCBP survey. Sergej, the interlocutor of "Vremen", says that he finds it interesting to follow current events.

"On the one hand, I see a lot in them that is recognizable to me from Russia from the period of 2011 and 2012. I attended rallies of opposition forces, as well as those in support of the ruling party. I was interested to see both sides. I discovered that much of what I saw at the meetings in Belgrade was familiar to me from events in Russia. On the other hand, there is a lot of widespread popular support and that is very inspiring. I look forward to the next step from this protest: conceptual political demands and actions. There is a lot of energy in the current protest. I would like it to be realized in constructive actions", he says. He does not participate in the protests, but observes them. "I don't participate in protests because... Now I don't feel like a part of Serbian society on a civil-legal basis. But I try to do some light, feasible help: I ​​talk to a few students, I tell my friends in Russia about the protests, sometimes I go out on the street to take photos and publish them under a free license. But, in general, I'm just an observer.”