Types of Russian Migrants based on Various Slavic Ethnicities

I once wrote an article about migration in general to dispel myth and give people better idea on how it really works. This time I decided to write about Russian migrants specifically. To better illustrate I will associate each migrant type with one or another Slavic ethnicity. Each type is about as numerous as the country they are associated with, as some types clearly more numerous than others.

Ukrainian 

Because of War in Ukraine, nowadays Ukraine is associated with resilience and defiance against overwhelming odds, but that was not always the case. Before the war Ukrainians were often stereotyped as parochial people who care about bread and butter issues more than for things like grandeur, image, military or space program. In fact if you look at root causes of war, then the very reason Ukraine decided break ties with Russia and join the EU and NATO is because quality of life is better in the EU. Even some war propaganda makes fun of the fact that Russia has poor quality of life, so clearly it was a major factor in Ukraine's decision to break ties with Moscow in favour of EU and to continuously resist Russians on the battlefield when Moscow responded with violence.

In view of the above, the biggest reason for most Russian migrants to emigrate out of Russia is better quality of life in the Western world. People go to great length to emigrate out of Russia to have better roads, clean streets, working lifts, friendlier and non-dangerous neighbors and so on. Basic things really, but these things are alas lacking in Russia itself. It does also means more money as well as less autocratic self-absorbed bosses.

Furthermore majority of those who choose to emigrate clearly value quality of life a lot higher than other aspects of life like culture or community. Because of that they love West and Western way of life. Most of them prefer not to think of Russia too much as that only brings back negative memories of how much worse quality of life in Russia is. Ukrainian type is not one who would make their Russianness visible in any way, in that regard they are rather boring as they look much like everyone else. However for them acquiring various stuff from their new home is fulfilling the very reason they migrated in the first place.

Ukrainian type is best understood within Russia itself. Even anti-western patriotic people within Russia would agree that quality of life is better in the west, while insisting that 'loyalty to Motherland' should take precedence over quality of life. Meanwhile less patriotic ones would dream of emigrating themselves one day. In this regard you can even consider this type most basic and closest in mentality to people in Russia itself.

Ukrainian type if not downright hates Russia then certainly dislikes it. Ukrainian type is not very political as they do not want to attract undue attention from authorities or patriotic Russians who could make life difficult for them. However their critical views of Russia will lead them to support those who are critical of it, like the Polish type.

Polish

Polish type is a further evolution of Ukrainian type and about as numerous as them. If Ukrainian simply thinks that West is better then Polish one looks for reasons why it is better. The answer they arrive is often called democracy, or to be precise western political system with free elections and freedom of speech. They tend to think that if Russia would adopt Western political system and values, then quality of life there will match that of the West. They tend to blame various problems Russia has on its lack of democracy, corruption (rent seeking bureaucrats) and suppression of free speech.

For an outsider this type is probably hardest to understand. Full bucket list of all their grievances against Russia and its government is so enormous, it will take forever to even list them all. Because of that even asking then what exactly is wrong with Russia can be taken as trolling. From their point of view both their views and their attitudes are not only justifiable, but also obvious so do not require further elaboration. Various oppositional sources in Russia itself regularly write about various abuses of Russian government, further solidifying views of Polish type and their continued opposition to Russia and its government.

Together Polish and friendly to it and its views Ukrainian type clearly dominates Russian diaspora, dwarfing all other types combined. Because of that on diaspora websites posting anything remotely pro-Putin or pro-Russian can get you accused of trolling or outright banned, as Winged Hussars of Russian opposition will descend from mountain side to crush Janissaries of Kremlin regime. From their point of view if you if enjoy life in Russia then there is certainly no reason to get out of your way and jump through hoops or immigration law to move elsewhere. So, anyone who emigrated but does not at least disliked Russia, is either a troll or a paid KGB agent. Thus, the only valid political debate there could be is whether it is Navalny, Yavlinski, Kasparov or other oppositioner that will make a better president of Russia. 

Polish type will still be understood within Russia itself. There is opposition to Putin's regime in Russia itself. Pro-Putin patriots hate them but still understand them about as well as an average die hard member of US Tea Party understand a Democrat or Democratic Socialist of America. 

Czech

Czech type is further evolution of Polish type. Its a kind of esoteric evolution, more akin to reaching life's wisdom or Buddhist enlightenment then anything more down to earth. Time, experience and certain distance from Russia and its problems allows some to get a sort of bird-eye view of the problem. Czech type no longer sees things in the same black and white color as Polish type, but still broadly supports the cause. Exact views of this type vary but its either a certain resignation that nothing can be done and we should just more on or a detached observation, where they just see everything that happens in Russia as some mad reality show for them to laugh at, possibly a combination of both.

This type is certainly less numerous than either Polish or Ukrainian, but they are still more numerous than any other type on this list. They still broadly support their fellow comrades even if with less enthusiasm as before. They are the ones to deliver ironic remarks and such.  

This type is certainly hardest to understand by anyone really as one should really spend a lot of time in the bubble of Russian opposition to reach this level of enlightenment. This type is still appreciated and liked but Polish and Ukrainian types. Together they form triumvirate rules over diaspora.

Belarussian

As much as they are minority among the diaspora, there are certain people who like both Russia and their new homeland at the same time. There are also those who are downright anti-Western, I will write about them further below.

Belarussian type is one that sees positives on both sides. Typically they are proud of various cultural and scientific achievements of Russia and Russian culture while at the same time appreciating Western prosperity. Belarussian type values Russian culture and wants their kids to both speak Russian and see themselves as Russian. They are the type that would teach their kids Russian language and culture, would regularly visit Russia on vacations and tries to bring various Russian art into their new homeland.

This type is probably best understood by people in host countries themselves as it broadly correlates with stereotypical migrants as they are depicted in fiction. Because of their desire to preserve their Russianness, they could interest those Westerners who enjoy sampling foreign cultures. Ironically enough the type that sees Russia more favorably has easier time befriending people native to their new homeland.

Among diaspora itself this type is not especially liked but its tolerated so long as they do not try to argue with oppositional orthodoxy. Compared to the three above types, this type migrates for different reasons, not because they want quality of life but because they want money or, in case of women, foreign husband, that coincidently also comes with money.

Generally this type is a lot more common among women than among men. Russian women generally like to see West as useful and exploitable. Russian men instead see West as escape from various things and aspects of life they hate about Russia and thus more neo-con in their views.

Slovak

This one is rarest of the types that is still connected to Russia somehow and thus understands what life in Russia actually is like. Further below 6 Yugoslav types are completely out of touch. Slovak type is a potential further evolution of sorts. Someone who tries to preserve whatever can out of Russianness of the diaspora. 

Slovak type is a community organiser of sorts. They want to keep diaspora together somehow, likely because they appreciate Russian culture like Belarussian type or because they are undercover KGB agents who has to keep tabs on migrants. Alternatively they might just enjoy company of Russophone people for some reason.

Unlike Belarussian type Slovak type does understand how most Russian emigrants feel about Russia so they threat carefully to not alienate them. They avoid anything political or anything than can be seen as pro-regime, focusing instead on things emigrants actually need, like various advice on emigration or how to get this or that in their new home and so on.

Slovak type is one that does most for community, yet do not get any praise or reward for doing any of that. Despite that they continue to fulfil their cause to the end.

Serb

Now we get into completely detached from realities of life in Russia category. Former Yugoslav republics do not share common border with West or East Slavs. As a reflection of that, migrant types named after Yugoslav states too are more delusional and out of touch with reality compare to the above types. I being this category with the bane of Winged Hussars, Serb type.

Serb type is radical anti-western and pro-Putin regime radical. On the internet they are all over the place, blaming War in Ukraine the 'evil west' and praising Russia for what not. Very stereotypical really.

As average Russian migrant would certainly wonder just what could possibly drive someone who actually lived in Russia to somehow end up like the Serb type. Most of them could not imagine anyone doing something like that out of their personal conviction, so most common conclusions are either trolling or paid by the regime provocateur. 

Serb types tend to repeat even those propaganda statements that anyone who actually lived in Russia would know to be untrue. That is why most of the diaspora does not take them seriously.

Because of the above it's very unlikely that Serb types come from Russia itself. If they are not actual Serbs, who for some reason love Russia more than even most die-hard patriots in Russia itself, then they could be Russians (Russophones) from former Soviet republics. Someone who grew up somewhere in Latvia in European Union and never experienced problems people in actual Russia have to deal with, might as well end up being a Serb type in a diaspora. 

All that would not help to create any kind of understanding between them and the above types. The only role Serb type can play in a diaspora is that of the Janissaries for Winged Hussars to defeat.

North Macedonian

A distinct variant of a sympathetic to Putin's regime is a North Macedonian type. When it comes to views North Macedonian type is close to Serb type, but fundamentally they are much further apart than initially apparent.

North Macedonia type is typically a clueless scion of rich bureaucrats that work for Russian government. They parents are wise enough to understand that Russia is unsafe and even people like them with money, status and connections may mercilessly be purged by the regime if someone like Putin will find it expedient. Thus, to hedge their bets, they created for themselves a safe heaven in western countries, where they could escape if things get dicey for them in Russia. To be extra safe they sent their kids ahead of themselves just to be safe.

Many of such kids are clueless of the whole reasons their parents sent they away to study abroad and often flaunt their money and Russianness in a very open manner. They are probably the only type who would openly wear something like a t-shirt with Russian symbols on it as not even Serb type would not want to be openly identified as Russian by just every bystander. Aside from identity, these guys are also much more inclined to splurge on booze and entertainment as they not only have a lot more money than any other type but also much more inclined to be wasteful with them.

North Macedonian type would praise Russia and its achievements but will not necessary hate west the same way Serb type does. In that regard its closer to Belarussian type or somewhat between Belarussian and Serb type. Generally, as most spoiled rich kids, they are proud of themselves and circumstances that made them rich.

Bosnian

As if the above was not confusing enough already, there is an even more confused type out there, Bosnian.

Just like actual Bosnian, that is split between different ethnic groups, each pulling in different direction, a Bosnian type is the split one, who is split between different contradictory positions. Unlike Czech type, who reached an enlightened nuanced view, or Belarussian type that tries to see good in both Russia and the West, a Bosnian type merely seesaws between different positions. At times they may criticize Russia for various problems and at others their the regime sides, because they felt for propaganda lies. They are least intelligent type who are easily swayed and thus are constantly swayed by all sorts of people.

Croat

Unlike travellers and migrants from many other countries, a cultural immersion is not among the interests of the majority of migrants from Russia. Despite that there is a distinct, if not very numerous, type that does just that, a Croat type.

Croat type is an adventurer by character, who would do extreme sports or climb mountains even if they were not migrant. Thus, if they do migrate, they certainly try various wild things their new home has to offer and often report back on their experience to the diaspora. The rest read about the endeavors of the Croat type, comment but typically will not try any of that themselves. Croat type is relatively respected if not very understood type.

Slovene

The one former Yugoslav country everyone forgets even exists. Slovenia is a lot wealthier and a lot more Western than their Balkan neighbors.

Slovene type does reflect that. They are super integrated type that managed to assimilate into their new home so well that no one could tell they are even migrant, much less where they have come from. Aside from name on documents, nothing really suggests they are from Russia at all.

Just like Slovenia rarely interacts with fellow former Yugoslav states, Slovene type does not regularly interacts with diaspora. Thus most people are completely unaware that Slovene type even exists and Slovene type likes it this way. If they will ever need something, they will ask on migrant forums, aside from that they just live their new life in a new way and does not want to be involved with anything Russian.

Montenegrin

The final, rarest and least understood type is Montenegrin. 

Montenegrin type has some niche interest in Russian culture, like literature or imperial times, that they devote their live to. In some regards they are similar to Croat type, but unlike Croat type none could really relate or find any interest in what a Montenegrin type does. Despite that Montenegrin type finds their interests important enough to keep doing them even if no one else cares.

Conclusion

And just like that I summed them all up. Now you can better understand what various members of Russian diaspora is up to and know how to interact with them.

PS: I forgot Bulgarian, but I do not have any ideas for that type to write anything about it. If I will have any, I will add it later.