A toughening of already draconian Kremlin policy on everything from gay rights to political activism are driving a record-high number of Russians to seek asylum in Europe and the United States, according to multiple Russia experts.
Responding to a recent RFE investigation of data compiled by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Russian political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin attributed the 40 percent uptick in Russian asylum seekers since 2017—the highest since earliest years of the post-Soviet era—to a dramatic tightening of restrictions on everything from social media dialogue to personal lifestyle choices.
He told VOA, "screws are tightening everywhere, citizens are already imprisoned for reposting on social networks."
Although last year's 2,664 new Russian asylum applications in the United States represent a 268-percent increase since 2017, EU immigration data show Germany alone saw 4,885 first time applicants, roughly a third of the 12,600 Russians who sought a toe-hold on the European continent.
While neither USCIS nor EU statistics disclose specific reasons that compel individual applicants to seek asylum, successful candidates must provide proof of an immediate threat to their well-being as a result of discrimination based on race, religion, sexual orientation or affiliation with particular social or political organizations.
一些俄罗斯事务专家说，克里姆林宫针对从同性恋权益到政治活动的所有领域实施的严厉政策仍然在不断强化，导致大批俄罗斯人前往欧洲和美国寻求庇护。
自由欧洲电台最近对美国公民和移民服务局的数据进行了汇总。俄罗斯政治事务分析员奥列什金说，自从2017年以来，寻求庇护的俄罗斯人数上升了40%，达到前苏联刚解体以来的最高峰。俄罗斯政府对社交媒体的发帖和个人生活方式选择都有十分严格的限制。
奥列什金对美国之音说：“方方面面的控制都在收紧，在社交媒体上转发帖子的公民被关进监狱。”
2017年，有2664名俄罗斯人在美国申请庇护，是2017年人数的268%。而在欧洲，仅德国去年就有4885名俄罗斯人申请庇护，约占全欧洲1万2千600名寻求庇护的俄罗斯人的三分之一。
美国公民和移民服务局和欧盟都不透露寻求庇护的理由，但是成功获得庇护的申请者必须证明他们由于种族、宗教、性取向或参加社交或政治团体而面临危机人身安全的威胁。