Russia is suffering a brain drain as some of its "best and brightest" flee the country after Vladimir Putin's totalitarian crackdown to prevent dissent over his invasion of Ukraine.
"The Russian middle class as we knew it took decades to grow. It fell apart in days. Then, the exodus began. Journalists, businessmen, artists, popular TV presenters, pop stars – some of Russia’s most talented professionals were fleeing the country," Rolling Stone reported on Saturday. "Outside the big, graceful windows Moscow put on display to the world, its House of Cards was falling apart."
Russian-born American journalist Julia Ioffe has also reported on the exodus from Russia.
Friend after friend fleeing Russia. Five today alone. The best and the brightest, the journalists who were telling people the truth about their country\u2014gone. Emigres, like the white Russians of a century ago. Putin is destroying two countries at once.— Julia Ioffe (@Julia Ioffe) 1646280766
"The choice to flee or stay was now a matter of survival. By Thursday, the exodus became so chaotic, there were hardly any good friends left in the city," Rolling Stone reported. "Many Russian journalists panicked. People evacuated without time to pack — or think of the future."
In the span of exactly one week, Russia went from an authoritarian country to a totalitarian one. The distance between the two is always short, and one prepares the ground for the other.— Julia Ioffe (@Julia Ioffe) 1646439689
But as Russians try to flee, sanctions are making it more difficult to leave the country, CBC News reported.
Sanctions, restrictions mean Russians have few ways to leavewww.youtube.com
