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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Andrew Roth & Pjotr Sauer

Russians who fled at outbreak of Ukraine war reluctantly go home

A street in Moscow
A building in Moscow displays a huge letter ‘Z’ in support of the war in Ukraine. Many Russians left the city after their country’s invasion of its neighbour. Photograph: AP

When the war began, Olga Gladysheva, a former journalist who now works in video production, joined tens of thousands of other Russians fleeing the country.

“I left for Istanbul in a state of panic shortly after the war started. I thought I wouldn’t get another chance to leave, that the borders might close. I didn’t want to stay alone in the country as I saw all my friends leaving. I thought Russia was turning into North Korea,” she said.

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