According to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, only 11.6 thousand people moved to the country under the program of 'voluntary resettlement of compatriots' in the first six months of 2025 - the minimum in the last 11 years. 'For comparison: last year during the same period - 15.4 thousand, and in all of 2024 - only 31.7 thousand, which became the worst indicator in 14 years,' the Central Bank noted.
The reasons are obvious. Firstly, the war unleashed by the Kremlin against Ukraine has undermined Russia's image in the world and made it dangerous for life. Secondly, new citizens face strict military registration requirements and the risk of mobilization
Moreover, initiatives such as 'golden visas' and resettlement programs for 'seekers of traditional values' from the West have also failed. The Center for Counteracting Disinformation believes that even with the entire propaganda campaign to create an attractive image of the 'Russian world', fewer and fewer people in the world are willing to share its 'values.'
Interest in the Kremlin's resettlement programs to Russia continues to decline even after propaganda efforts and budget expenditures. Ukrainian specialists believe that this is related to the danger of life in Russia due to the war with Ukraine and the strict military registration requirements for new residents. Programs for refugees from the West have also not found great demand due to the lack of common 'values.'