In Russia, thousands of labor migrants and other foreigners are stuck due to coronavirus. Many have been living at airports or at the border for several days

Due to coronavirus in Russia, citizens of Belarus, Kazakhstan and other countries are stuck

The most seriously closing borders were reflected in labor migrants from the countries of Central Asia. As Kommersant wrote , talking with the ambassadors of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, the closure of borders and the restriction of air and railway communication affected “hundreds of thousands of migrants”, since in the spring seasonal workers go to Russia, and migrants who worked in the winter return to their homeland.

Because of the coronavirus, they will not be able to do this: Russia closed the border for the entry of foreigners. In addition, for example, Uzbekistan himself announced the complete closure of air and railway communication with other countries, and Uzbekistan Airways promised only charter flights from Moscow to evacuate citizens. At the same time, charters are not yet executed from other regions.

Because of this, thousands of citizens of Uzbekistan are stuck in Russia, the human rights activist and the head of the Interregional Uzbek fraternity Vatandosh, Usman Baratov, told Medusa. In many regions, people are forced to live at the airport, as some of them can no longer get out of it due to restrictions on the entry of foreigners.

“In some airports, people have already passed passport control, but their flight was canceled, but they are not allowed back to Russia. As a result, they sleep on the floor and even buy water at fabulous prices. People fainted from hunger, ”Baratov explains, emphasizing that many have already ended with money, and rented apartments are released.

In such a situation, about 300 citizens of Uzbekistan were stuck in the Novosibirsk airport Tolmachevo. All of them were to work in different regions of Russia, and when they decided to return to their homeland, they found that this is impossible due to the abolition of flights. As reported by the Novosibirsk website of the NGS, due to the closure of the borders and the cancellation of passengers of some flights to Uzbekistan, they removed from the aircraft using riot police. As a result, they live in the Novosibirsk airport for 3-5 days - all this time people sleep right on the floor. The Embassy of Uzbekistan urges people to return to the “Places of Permanent/Temporary Residence” and wait for the situation to be resolved.

In a similar situation, there were citizens of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The representative of the Kyrgyz diaspora in Russia by Tursunbay Kubatbekov explained to Medusa that at least several hundred citizens of Kyrgyzstan were stuck in Russia. 157 of them have been on the border of the Orenburg region for three days - they planned to return to Kyrgyzstan on cars in transit through Kazakhstan, but he closed the borders.

In addition, foreigners who returned home with a transfer in Russia were locked in Russian airports. For example, about 100 citizens of Belarus were stuck in Vnukovo since March 18: transit was allowed only through Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo. “Our border guards took their passports and left us in the border zone without access to food and drink hot,” said Galina Moiseeva, citizen of Belarusia. Later, employees of the Belarusian embassy brought food and warm blankets to the airport.

In the same situation, Kazakhstanis were returning to their homeland through Russia. More than 20 people were locked only at Omsk Airport, who planned to get to Kazakhstan by train or car.

Labor migrants will be returned to charters. But all of them will not be enough

It is reliably unknown how many foreign citizens are stuck in Russia. The representative of the Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova promised to clarify this information for Medusa - during the publication, the answer did not enter the editor.

Uzbekistan, Belarus and Kazakhstan have already reported that they will return their citizens to their homeland through charter flights. The countries agreed with the Russian authorities - for example, this issue was discussed during a conversation between foreign ministers of Belarus and Russia.

The representative of the Kyrgyz diaspora explained to Medusa that the citizens of the Kyrgyzstan, stuck on the border of Russia and Kazakhstan, should return to their homeland by train or an airplane in the coming days. At the same time, tickets will be paid, but about half of their value will be returned to people.

However, charters will not be enough for all migrants stuck in Russia, Upaman Baratov emphasized the head of the Interregional Uzbek fraternity of the Vatandosh. “One charter is 150 people, and tens of thousands of citizens of Uzbekistan stuck in Russia. The situation must be resolved dramatically - you need to put them back to Russia and provide material support measures, ”he added. The Ambassador of Tajikistan Imomuddin Sattor also admitted that it is simply impossible to take out all citizens to his homeland.

On March 19, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia due to coronavirus extended the term of the temporary stay of foreigners in Russia. For foreigners who came to Russia on a visa, a term will be extended regardless of the purpose of entry. If the visa has already expired, the temporary stay will also be extended, the department promised. Those who arrived in Russia without a visa will also extend the stay. To do this, contact the nearest department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs with a statement in free form.

The agency also announced the resumption of the acceptance of applications for the issuance of permits to foreigners to work in Russia. In addition, labor migrants can apply for new patents without the need to go beyond Russia and without administrative responsibility for delay.

Pavel Merzlikin