Number of Foreigners Applying to Resettle in Russia Drops by Two-Thirds from Last Year to Lowest Level in 11 Years

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Oct. 19 – During the first half of 2025, the number of people wanting to resettle in the Russian Federation fell to 11,600, down from 36,400 during the same period a year ago, according to the Russian interior ministry, a decline that suggests the Kremlin’s effort to promote such returns is collapsing.

            The new figure, which is the smallest in 11 years, was reported by the MVD’s migration service (t.me/migrpost/715) and far smaller than the nearly 80,000 in 2021, is discussed by the Moscow Times at moscowtimes.ru/2025/10/19/chislo-zhelayuschih-pereselitsya-vrossiyu-iz-za-rubezha-ruhnulo-vtroe-a177612).

            Most of these resettlers were ethnic Russians from Central Asia. Only a relative handful came from further afield, with the largest numbers of these coming from Germany – 700 -- and Latvia – 600. And the number from other Western countries who supposedly returned to life in a country with traditional values, a group the Moscow media plays up, was microscopic.

            Russian observers say that the major restraining factor that is driving the numbers down is fear among potential returnees that they will be compelled to serve in the Russian army now fighting in Ukraine. But many likely have decided that the economic situation in Russia is now too risky to take the chance of moving there.