Since the announcement of partial mobilization in Russia on September 21, many things have changed in the world and in the Russian Federation as well. One of these major changes refers to the feeling of Russia by hundreds of thousands of persons, especially young men. This new phenomenon associated with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine generates strong reactions in many countries for which this new flow of migrating persons is heading. The reactions are not unambiguous and embrace a wide range of feelings and response actions: from compassion to concern and even to fear and hostility. For now the Republic of Moldova does not experience a large-scale phenomenon of the kind but this does not diminish the necessity of analyzing beforehand and of preparing the state institutions for an eventual increased inflow of persons from this category and of measuring the state of spirit in Moldovan society in this very equivocal problem. The given issues were discussed by experts invited to IPN’s public debate “About the Moldovan state’s and society’s attitude to persons who flee from mobilization in Russia, with and without Moldovan nationality”.
Igor Boțan, the standing expert of IPN’s project, said that after the partial mobilization was announced in Russia on September 21, almost 1 million citizens aged between 16 and 60 left the country. They left mainly for countries that do not require an entry visa, such as Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Armenia and also for European states. A lot of Russians citizens entered Mongolia.
“Why does it happen so? Vladimir Putin’s regime is an authoritarian one and is even aggressive. There are multiple debates on how the countries, especially the European ones, should act with regard to these persons who tend to leave the Russian Federation. These have a differing stance. The Baltic states, Poland and the Czech Republic have an inflexible attitude to these citizens. They said these persons can enter the EU and the given countries only if they publicly expressed their negative attitude to the Russian aggression against Ukraine before the mobilization. Those who express their disagreement after the mobilization should fight against the regime of Putin in their country. On the other hand, there are old EU member states that have a more indulgent attitude. Germany, for example, says that any Russian citizen who acknowledges this aggressive war and does not accept it should be welcomed into the EU and offered humanitarian visas,” stated Igor Boțan.
About 3,800 Russian citizens reportedly entered the Republic of Moldova over the past 20 days. This is two times and a half more than the number of Russians who left Moldova in the period. Also, many Russians were denied entry into Moldova in accordance with the national legislation. “The Republic of Moldova does not face a major inflow, such as Kazakhstani, Mongolia and the countries of South Caucasus as it is hard to reach Moldova,” explained the expert.
Committee for Unity and Wellbeing member Igor Klipii, associated expert of the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives “Viitorul”, noted that in general Moldovan society has a positive attitude to the Moldovan compatriots in Russia who try to save their families and lives by avoiding the involvement in this war. But there are several connotations as regards the Moldovans with Russian nationality. It depends on how these obtained nationality as the Russian Federation demands that the citizens of other states should renounce their nationality if they want to obtain Russian nationality. “The situation is slightly delicate in this case as they renounced the nationality of the Republic of Moldova. A more interesting aspect appears here as regards national security. It is presumed that a particular number of Moldovan citizens renounced their nationality in favor of the nationality of the Russian Federation but hold a responsible post in the Republic of Moldova. This is a subject that should also be raised as there is a war owing to the Russian Federation, even if it is further from our borders, and this thing cannot be neglected,” said Igor Klipii.
According to him, all the rights of the Moldovan citizens should be respected and the state is obliged to defend these citizens with all the available resources, no matter where they are. The state should also offer support to the Moldovans who renounced Moldovan nationality so as to prevent their involvement in the war started by the Russian Federation.
As to those who are in Russia and have Russian nationality, they fall under the legal framework of Russia and can be mobilized. “This is somehow the fate they chose, while the problem is more difficult as the Republic of Moldova cannot intervene here. It depends on how the person obtained the nationality. Those who filed an application to renounce the nationality have a different status in regard to the Republic of Moldova. Evidently, we should intervene and support those who legally hold dual nationality, including of the Russian Federation,” stated Igor Klipii
Writer Maria Pilkin said Russia’s war against Ukraine and against the civilized world in general is unjust and cruel. It made the people become more reticent. “When you hear that someone from that space comes, the first reaction can be of a state of affect. However, we are civilized, cult people and start to analyze, to think. And you think about that person who flees from war and does not want to take part in that mobilization and realize that you do not want to push this back into the war. If we don’t accept them, they volens nolens will get there and even out of resentment can become the most combative ones on the battlefield,” noted the writer.
Maria Pilkin referred also to the Moldovans who applied for Russian nationality but now paid thousands of euros to be able to return home through Turkey. “It was their choice. I cannot say it was the most inspired one but we as a state should assume these citizens. But we should take care not to allow a humanitarian catastrophe here at home by avoiding a humanitarian catastrophe involving these citizens there. We must behave in the most reasonable way as a state,” said Maria Pilkin.
She wondered if the Republic of Moldova as a state, with its labor market, health system and others, is ready to accept a large flow of foreigners. The writer gave the example of a young doctor who came to Moldova from Russia several months ago. He was initially delighted with Moldova but now is very angry as he needs to speak Romanian. “I ask myself, if a person comes to a country, does this start to learn the language of that country? Can these persons who flee from the war, from mobilization learn elementary things about culture, about us, about integration?’ asked the writer.
A citizen of Russia Vadim Glazman, a journalist, an applicant for political asylum in Moldova, said that he has had nothing to do with the so-called Russians as he has been a refugee for almost three years. That’s why he says that he does not know much about the internal affairs in Russia. But the dual attitude in Europe is explicable, according to him. “Those states that have been affected during many years by the expansion of the Russians Empire, the Soviet Union or Russia definitely have a negative attitude – the Baltic states, Poland or the Czech Republic. Those who didn’t suffer have a calmer attitude. Russia, during many centuries, staged genocide and crimes against many people. I think the Republic of Moldova should ponder over as it has been affected a lot,” stated the journalist, who reminded of the deportations for Moldovans to Serbia in the 1940s.
According to him, for these reasons the Republic of Moldova should not be very indulgent towards those who flee from Moscow, including those who want to avoid the mobilization. Russia’s population can show its dissatisfaction with the internal actions in the country, with corruption, salaries, living conditions, but it always supported the country’s foreign policy.
Vadim Glazman noted that in the case of mobilization, each case should be examined separately. The war in Ukraine started actually in 2014 and prior to this Russia took actions in Georgia and Syria. Many of those who are now in opposition supported the actions of the Kremlin. He and his son left Russia for Ukraine and asked for political asylum. “I cut any contact with the Russian Federation. I stopped considering myself a citizen of this country many years ago,” stated the journalist.
The public debate entitled “About the Moldovan state’s and society’s attitude to persons who flee from mobilization in Russia, with and without Moldovan nationality” was the 263rd installment of IPN’s project “Developing Political Culture through Public Debates” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
