Nearly 5,000 French people currently live in Russia. Between a deep attachment to this country and a strong concern for the future, each expatriate weighs the best decision to make.
While France now recommends to its nationals passing through Russia to “ leave without delay the country, the question arises for the French people who live there. Indeed, according to the 2021 figures of the consular register, 4767 French people currently live in Russia.
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“In the context of the military operations launched by Russia against Ukraine, French nationals in Russia are invited to exercise the greatest vigilance.“, is it simply indicated on the site of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As a result, most French companies present on the spot manage the question of the potential repatriation of their expatriates on a case-by-case basis.
The Safran group, a long-standing partner with Russian aeronautics and which generates 300 million euros in turnover in Russia, has not yet implemented a repatriation policy. “We are studying the possibilities for each of our eleven French expatriates on site, according to their wishes. But if government instructions change, we will comply with the recommendations of the authorities.“, highlights the company. The same goes for Société Générale, which is present in Russia via its subsidiary Rosbank, which generates more than 600 million in turnover, but also for Stellantis and EDF or Société Générale, which are also present in Russia.
“My life is here”
Fabien, 29, on a local contract in Moscow for a French company, does not wish to return to France. “I confine myself to the recommendations made by the authorities. For the moment, they have not asked French nationals to return so I am staying. My life is here, my girlfriend is here, I’m not ready to leave overnight if they don’t ask me“, explains this engineer who has been living in Russia for more than three years. “In addition, it is still complicated to return. You have to make many stops and the prices go up quickly“, he puts forward. Indeed, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs states on its website that “the European Union has just announced its decision to immediately close European airspace to Russian planes and airlines. Most European companies, including Air France, have therefore suspended from this Sunday evening February 27 the service and overflight of Russia.The site of the French Embassy nevertheless specifies a non-exhaustive list of indirect connections allowing you to return to France such as Istanbul, Cairo or Casablanca.
A situation that still remains anxiety-provoking for Fabien: “I try not to think about it but I think about it all the time. I’m a little stressed about what’s going to happen and whether I’m going to have to leave or not.But even being on a local contract, this French engineer has a fixed salary based in euros. A chance as the course of the ruble collapses.
Gaspard, a French logistics manager in a Russian company, does not have this privilege. “I am paid in rubles. My salary has fallen sharply in euros“, he regrets from Moscow without really considering leaving this country in which he has become an owner and has settled. “I still wonder what awaits us for the future, especially on the price of basic products“, he admits, also wondering about his future possibilities of returning to France once a year, as he did before the Covid-19 pandemic, and about his ability to buy plane tickets in euros while the value of his salary is currently plummeting.
“We must not be stuck here»
For Julien, a French teacher in a private school in Nijni Novgorod for 7 years, the question does not arise: we have to leave. “The economy is collapsing, we don’t know what’s going to happen, we mustn’t be stuck here“, claims this father of forty years who must however settle some administrative problems before being able to return to France. “I’m running all over the city to find a solution for our travel documents to leave as soon as possible“, he says.
But some French people have launched their business in Russia. “I do not plan to leave the country, it would be unthinkable. my life is here“, says Martial, 62 years old and in Russia for seven years. This entrepreneur who develops websites is especially worried about the payment difficulties of these customers who are 90% French. “My clients pay me via my website, I’m afraid that European and American bank cards are no longer accepted.»
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Same concern on the side of Arnaud, in Russia for 13 years and on his own. This commercial agent is the link between French fabric manufacturers and Russian stores. “The question arises on financial transfers but also on the transport of goods. For the moment, I’m waiting but I’m still considering changing jobs or working with other areas more accessible than France such as Eastern Europe“Explains this 52-year-old Frenchman who has no intention of returning to live in France. “I stay, I live in Russia, my wife is Russian. I consider myself as Frusse, between French and Russian“.