Russian olim feel less threatened in Israel than at home, despite conflict – report

Many Russian olim say that they would rather stay in Israel than return to Russia despite regional tensions escalating in the Middle East, according to reporting from The Moscow Times earlier in October. 

Approximately 83,198 emigres from Russia have come to Israel since the start of the Ukraine-Russia war in early 2022, according to figures from the Aliyah and Integration Ministry. In 2023, nearly 70% of emigrants who came to Israel were from Russia, according to an Interfax report.

According to a report from The Moscow Times, these recent olim feel that political tensions in Russia are personally more dangerous for them than the multifront war Israel is currently fighting.

“It’s hard to explain to people who don’t live here, but the rocket attacks don’t feel the same as they might in other countries. Most people here really don’t stress about it,” said 27-year-old Denis, who emigrated to Israel for political reasons.

All names of sources interviewed by The Moscow Times were changed in the report because Moscow declared the media outlet “undesirable”. This is a rating the Russian government commonly uses to further suppress media that is critical of the Kremlin.

'I want to help the country in any way I can'

Some of those interviewed by The Moscow Times said that the war has given them a sense of solidarity with citizens in Israel.

"The feeling inside Israel doesn’t make you panic or want to run away,” Valentina, 42, told The Moscow Times. “On the contrary, there’s a sense of ‘I want to stay here, I want to live here, and I want to help the country in any way I can."

Valentina further told The Moscow Times that she felt like the whole country was attuned to the war in Gaza and Lebanon, while that isn’t really the case in Russia.

"It feels as if the [Russian] government has abandoned its citizens. One thing that truly astonishes me is how many people in Moscow are not aware of what’s happening in Kursk, Belgorod, or elsewhere,” said Valentina, referencing regions in Russia that have faced attacks since the war in Ukraine’s onset.  “In Israel, that’s simply not possible — no one can ignore what’s happening in the regions of the country that were attacked.”

These interviews are especially interesting in comparison to data that shows that Israelis are leaving the country at record rates. 40,600 people left to go abroad in the first seven months of the year, averaging  2,200 more each month than in 2023.

Those interviewed acknowledged the dangers of the current conflict. Some said that they were more worried about terror attacks than missiles or rockets.

“There’s no way to protect yourself from that kind of violence,” said Anna, who came to Israel in the fall of 2022. “You just hope you’re not in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

While some sources said that they disagree with the government’s handling of the war, they feel as if they can’t return to Russia.

“There are risks everywhere, but in Russia, it’s particularly dangerous given our political stance,” Anna said. “We loved Moscow. We had a great life before 2022, and leaving was heartbreaking. But for us, it's just not safe to return.”

Shlomo Maoz contributed to this report.