麻豆社

It is an unlikely migration trend - Westerners swapping life in Texas or London for Moscow or Nizhny Novgorod. In 2024, President Vladimir Putin introduced the Russian Shared Values visa, sometimes called the 鈥渁nti-woke鈥� visa, offering up to three years of residency to citizens of 47 so-called 鈥渦nfriendly鈥� countries who say they align with Russia鈥檚 traditional spiritual and moral values.

Applicants do not need to speak Russian or pass a history test to qualify. Instead, they must reject the social and cultural direction of their home country. We hear the stories of people making this move. What motivates them and how do their expectations compare with the reality of life in Russia?

Presenter/producer: Dan Hardoon
Editor: Mike Wendling
Sound engineer: Richard Courtice
A Story虏 production for 麻豆社 World Service