Why do Ukrainians decide to come to Russia? The case for a safer Russia for the Kremlin, says Natalia Miriuk

In the absence of a reliable evacuation corridor to Ukrainian-held territory, going to Russia was the only option for many people in Mariupol at that time. Ukraine describes these refugees as forcibly deported, though Natalia says no one forced her to leave.

From there, she and many other Ukrainians were encouraged by Russian authorities to take a 4,000-mile train journey east to the very edge of Siberia, to a coastal town called Nakhodka on the Sea of Japan, a stone’s throw from North Korea. It’s closer to Alaska than to the front lines.

Russia has tried several experiments to attract people to its resource-rich far east, including from ex-Soviet states. State programs are being used to accommodate fleeing Ukrainians. Those who agree to go to Russia’s far east are promised a cash payment, housing assistance, Russian citizenship and potentially even free land.

Some who spoke to CNN were not willing to come back. We’ll stay in Russia. Valeria, another Ukrainian who ended up in Nakhodka told CNN that she didn’t want to think about Ukraine.

Some gave mildly pro-Russia views, others did not answer questions about the war, and even some had harsh criticisms of Ukrainians. No one directly criticized Moscow but, of course, it’s not clear how freely people felt they could speak.

Kyiv, he says, must make it crystal clear that Ukrainians citizens who ended up in Russia can come home, otherwise, many likely won’t. That only gives Russia’s interests.

They are a win for the Kremlin according to Nathaniel Raymond, who has done extensive research on the mass migration of Ukrainians to Russia since the full-scale war began. Russia, he says, needs more people.

According to the official figures, the cost of living in Russia’s main city is more expensive than Moscow and St. Pete’s regions. This is due to the fact that home-building is slower than the national average.

Why should Ukrainians in Ukraine stay in Russia, or if they would like to return home – the role of Russia and the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

Natalia says that the Russian authorities exchanged her Ukrainian passport for one from Russia. Everyone has the right to leave any country, even if it is their own according to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

When Natalia spoke to CNN, she seemed resigned to making the relocation work for her family long term. Under the terms of her resettlement, she must live there for at least three years, or be forced to repay any state benefits her family has received.

Ukrainian people who have signed on for the years-long program are in “basically a degree of indentured servitude,” Raymond said. Being in a contract for 3 years puts you in a vulnerable position, so to speak. It’s critical to recall that their core rights under international law mean “they have a right to return, and they have a right to return safely,” regardless of any agreement, he said.

“At this point, the absence of clarity is the biggest problem” when it comes to Ukrainians in Russia, and whether they are free to return home, Raymond said.

Those who publicly deny occupation, assist the Russian military in Ukraine, or call for support of the Russians are considered to be traitors and face criminal penalties.

Oksana, who claims to have both Russian and Ukranian passports, would like to visit Mariupol if it were part of Russia.

“Somehow things are better in Russia – quieter, whereas it is a total mess in Ukraine. It is just unclear what it is that our government is doing,” she told CNN by phone, adding: “I am for peace all over the world.”

After three years, we will see, wrote Marina in a text message. It depends on the job and material well-being. It isn’t very easy so far.

Raymond thinks that most of the people who went to Russia’s far east are less wealthy than their counterparts in Russia and therefore are not likely to go back. War after war, the same pattern can be seen – those with the least money have the fewest options, he says.

Oksana took refuge in a squalid basement shelter in Mariupol as the city was being besieged by Russian forces, but she insists that Russia was never a part of her plan.

Oksana says the volunteers have been helpful and that although some locals have suggested she “go back,” others have encouraged her to stay – which, for now, is what she intends to do.