Refugee status is more willing to give former Ukrainian security forces

Most refugees prefer not to go to Russia. Moreover, it is even rarely considered as a transit state. Nevertheless, those who are looking for asylum in Russia are still there. The head of the Civil Assistance Committee Svetlana Gannushkina told Kommersant Grigory Tumanov about how many Syrians have arrived in Russia since the beginning of a military conflict and how much is the status of refugee among intermediaries.

Photo: Vasily Deryugin, Kommersant / Buy photos

-Is there any significant influx of Syrian refugees to Russia now? From the beginning of the war, some peak indicators were recorded?

- Honestly, now a large influx is not observed. I can’t fully understand what this is connected with, but there are several options. Including, I believe, the fact is that the Russian Federation ceased to give Syrians entry visas. The fact is that two years ago, from Syria, they came to us through official channels, having these same visas on their hands. All this was obvious: the country is not alien to Russia, there is a war - it is clear that people will ask for asylum. However, apparently, this was never a single policy. In other words, the FMS and the FMS have completely different approaches to this issue. Now the leadership of the FMS, for example, says that about 2 thousand Syrians have a temporary shelter, and at the same time, refugee status is generally a few. According to our data, about 10-12 thousand Syrians need a shelter in Russia. These figures are confirmed by the FMS. Moreover, some of these people are those who already have a residence permit or even married to Russians.

Partitions at the highest level

For some time the visas was given actively, and then they stopped, and the corruption moment was clearly traced. Many complained that for these visas they began to take money significantly more than they cost. About a year ago, it was about $ 2 thousand, now, it seems, this amount has decreased to $ 1 thousand, but the only thing is in the crisis. In rubles, it has always been about 60 thousand. In any case, many Syrians prefer to go not to Russia, but other countries with all these introductory ones.

-The Ukrainians have passed more through the FMS over the past one and a half of the year?

- Undoubtedly. Even a lot of them have passed through our organization, but now this stream has begun to decrease. Of course, they received shelter much more often. At the same time, the status of refugee is given very reluctantly, throughout the country only 800 people have it. And there is an interesting detail: about 300 people from among refugees are former Berkut fighters and other security forces who worked under the government of Yanukovych. The remaining 500 are citizens of Afghanistan, Georgians and so on.

- And what gives the status of refugee? Benefits, payments?

- Its main advantage is an indefinite. Previously, they gave such a status for five years, but now it has no deadline. However, there is cunning: a person every one and a half years must confirm such a status. And now there are situations when the refugee comes to be noted, but his status is not confirmed and they say that it is received with violations. It does not give special advantages of economic refugee: it is necessary, like everyone, to get insurance and the right to work. This status does not provide for any payments or benefits. Temporary shelter is given for only a year. And it also needs to be proved again every year. And here is a large scope for corruption. I would not say so confidently if the numerous Syrians and other immigrants would not call the same numbers and prices.

- How does this happen?

- As a rule, none of the migration services is present at the negotiations, this is done through a translator from Arabic. He calls the price, takes the money. We even had several such conversations recorded on the recorder, but in the end, verification in this case was not led to anything. Unless part of the Syrian diaspora condemned our ward, who complained about the translator. Like, it does not give her money to earn money. And the employee to whom these bribes were intended was ultimately transferred to another place.

- And how, taking into account all this, Russia perceives refugees from Syria? Is it a transit zone or a place of permanent stay for them?

- There is no single approach. Someone passes through Russia further, someone remains for a long time. Some illegally live here for 10–20 years, acquire families. But it is unprofitable to travel through Russia to many Syrians. The fact is that our boundaries are really controlled much tougher than, for example, the border between Poland and Germany. There are times when foreigners are detained even when leaving: the Armenian family who contacted us tried to leave the relatives of Bryansk, so they almost brought a criminal case against them.

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