When journalist Yevgeniya Baltatarova arrived in Kazakhstan in March 2022, it was not her intention to stay there for long. She had fled from her home in Ulan-Ude, Russia, after the Federal Security Service (FSB) raided her apartment in search of evidence that she had violated a proposed law concerning “army fakes” while reporting on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Despite hoping to escape criminal prosecution in Russia, Baltatarova and other activists and military deserters find themselves stuck in Kazakhstan, living with the constant fear of deportation.
Kazakhstan became a popular destination for Russian emigrants after the invasion of Ukraine, as it shares a long border with Russia and allows Russian citizens to enter with just an internal ID. In December 2022, it was reported that around 2.9 million Russian citizens crossed the border into Kazakhstan, although only around 100,000 remained in the country. However, despite not aligning with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kazakhstan still maintains strong economic ties with Russia and is a member of several Russia-led regional projects.
Kazakhstan’s government finds itself in a difficult position, wanting to avoid aiding Russia by arresting and extraditing exiles, but also constrained by bilateral agreements that prevent them from allowing these individuals to travel to a third country. As a result, Kazakh border officials are required to turn in wanted persons to the police but often do not proceed with the extradition process. Human rights organizations in Kazakhstan state that the government would prefer if these individuals left the country and the situation resolved itself.
Obtaining refugee status or a humanitarian visa from another country is the most viable option for these wanted Russians, but it remains a challenging process. Kazakhstan has a strict asylum policy, and even Russians who apply for refugee status have a high chance of rejection. The exiles find themselves in a precarious situation, feeling like hostages in Kazakhstan, as they are unwanted by both Kazakhstan and other countries.
Yevgeniya Baltatarova was first arrested in Kazakhstan during a routine documents check, where she learned about the two criminal cases against her in Russia. However, she was released due to a provision in the Chișinău Convention, which states that Kazakhstan is not obligated to extradite individuals accused of offenses not found in its criminal code. She was arrested again while trying to board a flight to Kyrgyzstan but was released once more after several hours in detention. In June, her temporary residence permit was not extended, leading to fears of eventual deportation to Russia.
The situation is even more complicated for Russian military deserters, as not many countries are willing to grant them asylum. France is one of the few countries that have expressed readiness to do so, but they also have limitations. For example, French authorities recently refused to issue travel documents to Farkhad Ziganshin, a Russian officer who fled to Kazakhstan during Russia’s mobilization drive. Ziganshin had served at an elite tank command school in Kazan but chose to resign in opposition to the invasion of Ukraine. He crossed the border into Kazakhstan when the military called him back for service. Ziganshin was detained at an airport when trying to travel to Armenia but was later released. The reasons behind his release remain unclear.
Not all wanted exiles have been fortunate like Baltatarova and Ziganshin. Some have been deported or remain in pre-trial detention as part of the extradition process. The uncertain legal status of these individuals makes it difficult for them to find steady employment, forcing them to rely on under-the-table odd jobs. This desperate situation has even led to suicide attempts among these exiles. They live in constant fear of arrest, with every random document inspection posing a threat.
