Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 had a significant impact on migration routes in the post-Soviet region. After decades of sending labor migrants to Russia, the Central Asian countries have recently become the main host states for hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens fleeing the country due to war, military mobilization, and intensified repression. The deterioration of the economic and political situation in Russia also poses new risks for potential migrants and creates new uncertainties for those who have already immigrated. As Russia loses its appeal and their home countries still offer limited economic opportunities, Central Asian labor migrants are increasingly seeking alternative destinations. The panel will discuss the context and reasons for new migration trends in the post-Soviet space, focusing on Central Asia as an important migrant-receiving and migrant-sending region.
Speakers:
Caress Schenk, Associate Professor of Political Science, Nazarbayev University
Ekaterina Vorobeva, EU Researcher and Ph.D. Candidate, Research Center for East European Studies, University of Bremen
Giulio Benedetti, Ph.D. Candidate, Stockholm School of Economics, Riga
Nargis Kassenova, Senior Fellow and Director, Program on Central Asia, Davis Center
Accessibility
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