Russia is currently experiencing the most massive exodus of journalists, artists and programmers in history. According to a long tradition, as it was a hundred years ago during the Bolshevik terror, they are forced to flee from the state.

This was stated to the publication " 03. 22 Mikhail Zygar is a Russian journalist and writer, former editor-in-chief of the independent Russian TV channel Dozhd..

“It is not known how many refugees left Russia over the past two weeks, but there is no doubt: we are talking about hundreds of thousands of people. This is probably the most notable exodus of intellectuals in history.. While the whole world is watching the war in Ukraine with horror, Russian journalists, artists, scientists, actors and programmers are leaving the country..

According to rough estimates by the Georgian authorities, after the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, from 20,000 to 25,000 Russian citizens arrived in Tbilisi.

Tbilisi has always been a popular city with Russians: delicious food, good wine and hospitable people. But suddenly there are too many Russians: the influx of immigrants worries more and more people in the country. Some Tbilisi residents are already collecting signatures for a petition to introduce a visa regime for Russian citizens.

And the authorities are acting inconsistently: on the one hand, Georgia submitted an official application for EU membership, on the other hand, last week at least two well-known Russian journalists who protested against the war in Ukraine and have long criticized Putin were not allowed into the country.. Georgia is the country where most of the last wave of Russian emigrants is now, and many of them understand that this is far from the safest place for them..

The departure of the Russian middle class from Russia, which began on Sunday, February 27, is taking on increasingly panicked proportions..

On this day, most European countries closed their airspace to Russian aircraft.. Many Russians have realized that European borders are now closed to them and there is no way out..

Therefore, last week the prices for tickets from Moscow to Istanbul, Dubai, Yerevan, Baku, Bishkek and even Ulaanbaatar rose almost tenfold.. Russian intelligentsia scatter in all directions in the most bizarre detours. Indeed, in fact, the fear of closed borders is one of the most persistent phobias of all former residents of the post-Soviet space..