The key facts

  • The number of Russians with residence permits in the EU grew from 771.8 thousand in 2021 to 876.6 thousand by the end of 2025 (+13.6%).
  • The largest communities are in Germany (218 thousand), Spain (116.8 thousand) and Estonia (78.4 thousand); in Latvia, Estonia and the Czech Republic the number of Russians has declined.
  • Outside the EU, large communities have formed in Serbia, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Georgia; in Turkey the number of valid permits has fallen to half of the 2023 peak.

Growth in the number of Russians in the EU

An analysis of Eurostat data conducted by Euronews shows that the number of Russian citizens legally residing in the EU has grown by 105 thousand since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 — to 876.6 thousand by the end of 2025. This is 13.6% more than the 771.8 thousand Russians with valid temporary or permanent residence permits in 2021. The largest community is in Germany (218 thousand), followed by Spain (116.8 thousand) and Estonia (78.4 thousand).

Southern Europe grows, the Baltics shrink

The largest growth occurred in Southern Europe: Spain issued 44.4 thousand residence permits to Russians over this period, France — 13.7 thousand, while the number of residents of Cyprus and Portugal born in Russia grew 2.5 and 3.5 times respectively. Latvia, Estonia and the Czech Republic are moving in the opposite direction, recording the largest decline in the number of Russian residents — due to strict migration policies and, in the Baltic states, security concerns related to large Russian-speaking communities.

Communities outside the EU

Significant communities have also formed outside the EU. In Serbia, the number of Russians grew from roughly 5 thousand before the invasion to 61.9 thousand by the end of 2025. By the spring of this year, Kazakhstan had received more than 107 thousand Russian migrants, Armenia and Georgia — 43.5 and 70 thousand respectively. Turkey accepted many Russians immediately after the invasion but then tightened its rules: by June, the number of valid Russian permits had fallen to 75.9 thousand — half the 2023 peak.

Waves of emigration and motives

Researchers identify at least four waves of emigration since February 2022. The latest, which began this spring, was, according to them, caused by new reports of upcoming mobilization. “Everyone now understands that they have no future in Russia. There is no image of the future, no understanding of what will happen in six months or a year,” said lawyer Anastasia Burakova, founder of the legal aid project for Russians abroad “Kovcheg” (“The Ark”). According to her, people also keenly feel the risks associated with mobilization and conscription.

Who is leaving

Surveys by independent researchers show that among those who left, young couples predominate, often without children, with both partners under 36. These are predominantly highly educated people working either in professions vulnerable to political pressure (journalists, human rights defenders, political analysts) or in fields in demand on the international market — IT, engineering, science. About 20% of those who left do not have higher education, and roughly 18% are studying or planning to study abroad. Researchers divide the emigrants into three groups: those already settled abroad, those preparing to move again, and those in Russia intending to leave within six months.

Economic effect and the question of return

The economic impact on host countries is noticeable but uneven. According to the research institute CASE, the inflow of people and capital into Armenia and Georgia in 2022–2024 contributed to GDP growth of 9–9.4% during peak periods; growth then returned to 5–7% per year. The average income of a Russian family in Serbia was about 3.5 thousand euros per month versus 900 euros on average in the country, and in Georgia — 3.3 thousand versus 650 euros. Most migrants work remotely or start their own businesses: in IT, up to 41% retain income from foreign clients, in the media sector — about 21%. The scale of return to Russia remains disputed: the OutRush project estimated the share of returnees by the summer of 2024 at no more than 8% (with another 5% planning to return), the RANEPA estimated roughly 10% for the 2022–2023 wave, while estimates by consulting firms and recruitment agencies are higher — from 16% among IT specialists to 40–45% among those who left at the peak. Reasons cited for returning include difficulties finding work, problems with legal status, and the closure of relocated Russian businesses. Russia's official resettlement program attracted only 26.7 thousand people in 2025 — a historic minimum; Euronews was unable to independently verify the Russian government data.