Migrants

An evening view of Tsalenjikha, a village in Georgia's western region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti. Magda Kharchilava, 24, left the village of nearly 4,000 people to study in the capital Tbilisi but decided to return to pursue her photography and art passion. She is an exception: young Georgians are leaving rural areas in droves due to lack of education and job opportunities in the regions. © Magda Kharchilava

Young Georgians Abandon Rural Life for the Capital

As Tbilisi swells, towns and villages lose the very force that could keep them alive.

28 Mar 23

Members of the Russian military. © Igor Rudenko/Wikimedia

Tajik Migrants Coerced Into Russian Army

Reports grow that foreign workers are being forced to join Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

17 Nov 22

A makeshift shelter for migrants in Berlin. © Armine Avetisyan/IWPR

Armenian Migrants to EU Face Rejection

Thousands apply for asylum in Europe on flimsy grounds; very few are accepted.

3 Nov 22

Soldiers march on the first anniversary of the signing of the decree on the annexation of the Crimea by the Russian Federation, on March 18, 2015 in Sevastopol, Crimea. © Alexander Aksakov/Getty Images

Central Asia: How Russia Sends Migrants to War

Foreign workers are being coerced or deceived into signing up for military service as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues.

1 Nov 22

Central Asian Migrants Leave Russia

Millions from all over the region have historically travelled there to work, with their remittances playing a significant part in many countries’ economies.

25 Mar 22

The Russians Moving to Armenia

Business and private individuals hope to escape the consequences of Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

11 Mar 22

A Georgian woman checks her phone inside a flat she shares with fellow migrant workers. © Omar Marques/Getty Images

Georgia: “My Heart is Like a Stone”

Women labour migrants endure years of domestic drudgery and loneliness to support the families left behind.

8 Mar 22

Tumbling Russian Rouble Leaves Kyrgyzstan Trembling

A weak currency and high inflation spells trouble for the Central Asian country’s economy.

3 Mar 22

Hasan has been living and studying in Georgia since 2013. After marrying a local, he decided to stay and apply for a residency permit in 2019 only to be denied. Since then, he has been involved in a three year long appeal process to overturn the decision. © Hasan

Georgia: Are Migrants a Threat to Society?

Citizens from the Middle East, Africa and Asia say that they are being routinely discriminated against when applying for residency.

18 Jan 22

Kamil Bashatov, 51, arrived in eastern Ukraine in 1989 from Uzbekistan. He wishes his children could move to Turkey, but if the security situation allows it, he would rather remain in Ukraine. His house bears the scars of heavy artillery from the 2014 fighting between the Ukrainian army and Russia-backed armed forces for the control of Sloviansk. © Ismayil Fataliyev

Meskhetian Turks Hope to Leave Ukraine’s Frontline for Turkey

As fears of Russian invasion mount, many see their future in a potential resettlement scheme.

6 Jan 22

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