Thousands of Russian soldiers seeking asylum in the West

Thousands of Russian soldiers are fleeing the war in Ukraine, lying low while awaiting the results of their asylum applications to western countries like Germany, France and the US.

Asylum claims from Russian citizens have surged, but few are winning protection – policymakers remain divided over whether to consider Russians in exile as potential assets or risks to national security.

Fewer than 300 Russians got refugee status in the US in fiscal year 2022 while less than 10% of the 5,246 people whose applications were processed last year got some sort of protection from German authorities.

In France, asylum requests rose more than 50% between 2022 and 2023, to a total of around 3,400 people.

Read more via AP

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