Russians flee Turkey due to problems with residence permits - Reuters
Russian citizens who came to Turkey after the start of Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine are leaving the country due to the inability to obtain residence permits and financial problems, in particular with banking services due to sanctions.
This was reported by Reuters, citing survey data, Ukrinform reports.
"Tens of thousands of Russians who fled to Turkey after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine have moved to other countries over the past year due to problems with residence permits and high prices," the news agency reports.
It is noted that since the outbreak of war, Turkey has become a "magnet" for Russians, especially its largest city, Istanbul, and the Mediterranean resort of Antalya.
"Some of them opposed the invasion, while others tried to protect themselves and their businesses from the wave of Western sanctions imposed on Moscow, including a ban on Russians entering most of Europe. Some men feared being drafted into the army. But this month, the number of Russians with residence permits in Turkey fell to 96,000, down by a third from 154,000 at the end of 2022," the report said.
The Russian citizens interviewed said that they and others had left partly due to difficulties in obtaining residence permits since the beginning of 2023. Many of them headed to Serbia and Montenegro, "one of the few European countries where they are welcome," the agency writes.
Another reason for the departure is inflation, which reached 70% in Turkey last month, as well as difficulties with basic banking services in Turkey as a result of sanctions.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, this year the popularity of buying property in Turkey among foreigners has dropped by half compared to last year.
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