One year after mobilization, Turkey's immigration policies are driving Russians away

Sep 18, 2023

∙ Paid

Russian cafe owner Igor, pictured in Café Grao, Kadıköy. © Wouter Massink

"Full of Russians." That’s how Mural Çekin described Kadıköy last year.

After Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization on Sept. 21, 2022 – requiring more citizens to join the war effort in Ukraine – Çekin watched thousands of Russians looking to avoid military s…

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A guest post by

Wouter Massink

Istanbul-based freelance journalist and videographer.