Sudden Departures: Russian Exiles Between Putin and the West

Smyth will present a book talk that captures the largest post-Soviet exodus in Russian history, triggered by the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Through hundreds of interviews, this book traces the journeys of those who fled Russia – crossing the steppes of Kazakhstan, the mountains of Armenia and Georgia, and even the Atlantic – in search of safety, belonging, and peace.Rejected by their homeland and global suspicion, these wartime exiles face the challenge of defining what it means to be Russian in an era of war and authoritarian retrenchment. Many turn to action – mutual aid, support for Ukraine, and anti-war activism – as path forward. For others, survival is the priority. Set against the backdrop of a shifting global order – renewed Great Power politics, tightening borders, and migrant fatigue – Sudden Departures gives voice to a diaspora in motion. Their stories offer an in-depth lens on exile, resistance, and the high personal costs of standing against Putin’s regime.

Regina Smyth, Visiting Scholar Uppsala University, Professor, Political Science, Indiana University and author of the 2020 book, Elections Protest and Authoritarian Regime Stability, Cambridge University Press.