Not sure how I feel about this:
The Telegraph (UK - Subscription required)
The Telegraph (UK - Subscription required)
Quote:Some of these Russians have been targeted by the regime after participating in protests. One of these guys took the follow action:Quote:
Thousands of Russians are trying to reach the United States to claim political asylum and avoid being drafted to the army, the Telegraph can reveal.
Immigration lawyers in America have been inundated with inquiries from Russian men and their families asking if the US will grant them political protection amid fears of conscription, following Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine.
In recent months, record numbers of Russian citizens have been apprehended on the US border with Mexico, as an easy path to the US offers opponents of Vladimir Putin's government an escape.
The Telegraph has spoken to bank managers, engineers and fashion designers who have all left their homes in search of a new life in the US after being targeted by police in Russia.
But now, immigration lawyers say the numbers will "skyrocket" amid fears that military-age men will be called up to fight in the war with Ukraine - which has already called up conscripts and reservists aged between 18 and 60.While I'm sympathetic to the folks who have been targeted for protests, and feel that they might meet the asylum requirements, I'm not sure I want to wholesale encourage young Russians who have the means to come here simply to dodge conscription. Interested to hear what others think.Quote:
At that point, he found a video by a man named Dmitry Politov that had just a few hundred views. The 29-year-old Muscovite who also marched with Navalny supporters feared for his freedom and worried that he could still be targeted in Europe.
In a 33-minute video, he explains and then carries out his plan. Politov travelled to Cancun because in Mexico, Russians need only an electronic visa to enter, rather than having to visit a consulate.
He then cancelled his return flight and headed for Tijuana, on the border with San Diego. There, he went up to US border officials and claimed political asylum.
Yevgeniy's mind was made up and within 48 hours, without telling anyone, he and his wife were on a flight to Cancun.
"Not many people knew about this route at the time. But now, the video has tens of thousands of views. Lots of people are asking if they can do it too," he said.
Yevgeniy flew north to Tijuana, but because the footbridge was shut, he had to spend $3,000 on a 12-year-old Honda Accord and drive straight up to the US border guards, where he claimed asylum.
