ISTANBUL — Turkey, where Russians can travel visa-free and obtain a short-term residency, has been one of the top runaway destinations for those fleeing Russia since the start of Moscow's war in Ukraine last year — until recently.

Eva Rapoport, coordinator of the Istanbul branch of the Ark, a global crowdfunding charity organization that provides temporary shelter, language courses and immigration advice to Russians in exile, said that there are more Russians now who were unable to obtain “ikamet" (short-term residency) than those who did obtain the permit.

“It's not an official number, but we believe only about 30% of Russians are getting approved now; the majority are rejected without proper explanation,” she told Al-Monitor. 

The estimated number of Russians fleeing the country varies, but the figure has drastically increased after the Kremlin’s mobilization announcement in September, reaching hundreds of thousands. Turkey has been among the top destinations since it demands no visa from Russian citizens, unlike the European Union that sealed off its airspace for flights to and from Russia. In addition, a weak Turkish lira makes the country attractive to settle down for those who have a few thousand dollars in their pockets. According to official figures, Russians top the list of short-term residency holders in Turkey as of January 2022, with 133,495 Russian nationals on short-term permits.