Russian war exiles deepen roots in South America
STORY: This is Ilia Gafarov, a Russian war exile now living in Buenos Aires.
He is working on building his "banya", a traditional Russian sauna, ahead of its grand opening in April.
The Russian exile hopes it will help make a permanent home in their adopted city.
Gafarov, along with his partner and two kids, moved from Russia’s eastern port city of Vladivostok to Argentina nine months ago.
As Russia's war in Ukraine enters its third year, a growing number of Russian families are putting down roots across Latin America, according to previously unreported residency visa approval data from five countries and interviews with a dozen exiles and experts.
The Gafarovs said they are looking to invest a large part of their savings in the enterprise and to apply for citizenship when they become eligible late next year.
The data shows almost 9,000 Russians were granted temporary or permanent residency last year in Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay, up from just over 1,000 in 2020.
The exiles and experts cited Latin America's affordable lifestyles, good weather and relative ambivalence towards international sanctions as major attractions for Russian citizens seeking to escape the war.
There are also more lenient visa rules and easier paths to citizenship.
Business consultant Tatiana Kalabukhova moved from Rostov-on-Don, near Russia's border with Ukraine, to Mexico City last December.
She has been granted temporary residency which she plans to extend.
“I think people are very open, I think Mexican people in general are very nice, nice people, very sweet, very open, willing to help, so I feel good here. Also, part of me feels like Mexican culture and Russian culture are a little alike, at least the mentality."
Some Russians living or visiting parts of the United States and Europe have reported facing anti-Russian sentiment since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Most countries in South America do not require visitor visas for Russian nationals, and extending the normal 90-day stay is usually straightforward.
While most countries in the region condemned Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, none have sent aid or weapons to Kyiv.
