From euronews · Alexei Doval · · 1m 30s
More Russians Settling in EU as War Continues
EU reports 876,600 Russians legally reside in EU by end of 2025, up 105,000 since 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
In brief
EU reports 876,600 Russians legally reside in EU by end of 2025, up 105,000 since 2022 invasion of Ukraine. EU has 876,600 Russian nationals with valid residence permits by end of 2025, a 13.6% rise from 2021 levels. Originally reported by euronews.
EU Russian Residency Data
Eurostat data shows 876,600 Russian nationals held valid EU residence permits at end of 2025.
Residency Growth Since 2022
Number of Russian citizens legally residing in EU grew by 105,000 since Russia launched full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
Top Host Countries
Germany hosts largest community with 218,000 residents, followed by Spain (116,800) and Estonia (78,400).
Southern Europe Growth
Spain issued residence permits to 44,400 Russian nationals, France 13,700, Cyprus and Portugal saw populations increase 2.5 and 3.5 times.
Baltic States Decline
Latvia, Estonia and Czech Republic recorded largest drops in Russian residents due to migration policies and security concerns.
Non-EU Communities
Serbia saw Russian population rise from 5,000 to 61,900 by end of 2025, Kazakhstan absorbed over 107,000 Russian migrants.
Recent Emigration Waves
Researchers identified four distinct waves of emigration since February 2022, with recent wave sparked by claims of impending mobilisation.
Ivan's Story
Ivan, 19, left Russia to avoid conscription and now works in construction in Yerevan, posting videos on YouTube.
“Now I have nothing and I feel free”
Demographics of Emigrants
Emigrants include predominantly young couples under 36, with high education levels and concentrations in IT, engineering and academia.
The main idea
EU has 876,600 Russian nationals with valid residence permits by end of 2025, a 13.6% rise from 2021 levels.
