Russia confiscates passports of senior officials to stop defections(ft.com)
ft.com
Russia confiscates passports of senior officials to stop defections
https://www.ft.com/content/c41be6b0-f625-46f2-91e4-d03eb4b6372b
163 comments
In America, agent help you travel overseas. In Soviet Russia, agent help oversee your travel.
This is actually a long standing trope in their own culture, countless examples.
For a fun recent one please turn on caption translations and enjoy this short-film/music-video/documentary by Russian band Leningrad:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bRPTb3z2rU
You won't regret it. :)
For a fun recent one please turn on caption translations and enjoy this short-film/music-video/documentary by Russian band Leningrad:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bRPTb3z2rU
You won't regret it. :)
Watched it, nice one!!
Don't forget about Papers Please https://papersplea.se/
Don't forget about Papers Please https://papersplea.se/
In America, you inform airport official when you travel.
In Soviet Russia, airport official informs YOU!
In Soviet Russia, airport official informs YOU!
> oversee your travel
your travel out of the window usually
your travel out of the window usually
I commented somewhere a few weeks back[0] that we should probably be making it easier for Russians who are vulnerable (those who left during the mobilisation push, are vocally critical of Putin, or who simply want to not be part of it) and want to defect. There's not a great deal we can do to make it easier on their end - presumably there are some controls on the Russian side on the way out - but if someone does make it to the UK or the EU and doesn't wish to be part of the war we should help them do so.
[0] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35154243, was unfortunately misunderstood by one user who thought I wanted to punish Russians who remained in the country after the invasion, rather than simply extend additional help to those who had left
edit, a flagged comment raised this question "Why are you helping these people compared to the other billion around the world in far worse positions?"
If you're upset that some country is about to get special treatment because I made a comment on HN, then you needn't because what I've suggested probably won't happen. I don't think "You want to help $groupA? Why not $groupB?" is a very helpful way to look at this, and furthermore it's a little presumptuous to think that I'd exclusively want to assist one nationality but not another just because I didn't mention it. There are dozens of ways the UK, the EU or "the west" are not helping or are actively hindering other parts of the world. To expect me to address any or all of the others when I want to talk about one is ridiculous.
[0] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35154243, was unfortunately misunderstood by one user who thought I wanted to punish Russians who remained in the country after the invasion, rather than simply extend additional help to those who had left
edit, a flagged comment raised this question "Why are you helping these people compared to the other billion around the world in far worse positions?"
If you're upset that some country is about to get special treatment because I made a comment on HN, then you needn't because what I've suggested probably won't happen. I don't think "You want to help $groupA? Why not $groupB?" is a very helpful way to look at this, and furthermore it's a little presumptuous to think that I'd exclusively want to assist one nationality but not another just because I didn't mention it. There are dozens of ways the UK, the EU or "the west" are not helping or are actively hindering other parts of the world. To expect me to address any or all of the others when I want to talk about one is ridiculous.
I'm in Canada and there has been a big push to help Ukrainians flee... but also one to take in Russians seeking asylum. The Ukrainians are the ones helping with that, funny enough, via Orthodox Churches.
> but if someone does make it to the UK ... we should help them do so.
Didn't brexit happen exactly to fight that ?
Didn't brexit happen exactly to fight that ?
Only the less wealthy Russians. Wealthy Russians are generally welcomed, especially if they can make some suitable donations to politicians.
Brexit happened for many dumb reasons. The current government has been going through a patch of being deeply unpopular and have decided that banging the anti-immigration drum can help shore up their base. So in truth yeah it's unfortunately quite unlikely they'd do much to make it easier to come to the UK, particularly if you're from Russia :-/
That was about Poles, not Russians.
I’m confused about what group of people you’re wanting to offer this to. The Russians who already left Russia to dodge the draft probably don’t need help leaving Russia.
The people critical of Putin and who are in Russia, and the people who don’t want to be a part of the war and who are in Russia would probably appreciate being able to more easily leave.
What do you mean when you say “vulnerable?” Is it just verbal flourish?
The people critical of Putin and who are in Russia, and the people who don’t want to be a part of the war and who are in Russia would probably appreciate being able to more easily leave.
What do you mean when you say “vulnerable?” Is it just verbal flourish?
Well those who have left are effectively stranded where they are, unless they want to return. If you left as mobilisation was announced and you're in Georgia or Armenia right now you likely do not have permanent residency - many applied and few got it. So you have a temporary visa on which the clock is ticking. If you want to go to the UK or Germany you'd have to return and apply for a suitable visa in the embassy in Russia. One good change in this specific case would involve permitting Russian citizens to apply abroad - at the UK embassy in Yerevan or Tbilisi (or wherever).
And those who haven't left, I'm sure there are ways they can be assisted too that we should also do. I'm not sure why "let's help this group" keeps getting interpreted as "let's punish this other group" :-/
And those who haven't left, I'm sure there are ways they can be assisted too that we should also do. I'm not sure why "let's help this group" keeps getting interpreted as "let's punish this other group" :-/
I have a Russian friend working in IT in Poland and he fears deportation.
Unfortunately these things are reportedly happening, the sentiment should be anti-Putin but ends up being anti-Russian, mostly thanks to Russians like these: https://t.me/glavredinfo/61841
Unfortunately these things are reportedly happening, the sentiment should be anti-Putin but ends up being anti-Russian, mostly thanks to Russians like these: https://t.me/glavredinfo/61841
> Unfortunately these things are reportedly happening, the sentiment should be anti-Putin but ends up being anti-Russian, mostly thanks to Russians like these: https://t.me/glavredinfo/61841
If you don't mind me asking, why should the sentiment be anti-Putin? What makes you think that the war is not being supported by a significant fraction (if not majority) of the Russian population?
If you don't mind me asking, why should the sentiment be anti-Putin? What makes you think that the war is not being supported by a significant fraction (if not majority) of the Russian population?
There is no question there is broad support for senseless violence, as evidenced by the video. But I know my friend for example, and he considers Putin and his enablers to be fascists. But of course there are also many people privately against this while publically showing support.
The point of my post was that it is not enough to help anti-Putin (and by that I mean anti-current-power-system-of-russia) leave Russia. They are as much victims here as Ukrainians who fled the war, but are sometimes treated badly.
The point of my post was that it is not enough to help anti-Putin (and by that I mean anti-current-power-system-of-russia) leave Russia. They are as much victims here as Ukrainians who fled the war, but are sometimes treated badly.
> The Russians who already left Russia to dodge the draft probably don’t need help leaving Russia.
Many of them are in countries that are happy to give Putin anyone he wants. A lot of political activists and detectors get deported back to prison.
Many of them are in countries that are happy to give Putin anyone he wants. A lot of political activists and detectors get deported back to prison.
vulnerable as in "prone to defenestration"
How was this handled for Nazi Germany defectors?
Top level defectors are "always welcome" and have special treatment, especially those willing to talk (and you bet most are very willing)
For low-level ones, it's usually waving the white flag then POW camp (if you're lucky)
For low-level ones, it's usually waving the white flag then POW camp (if you're lucky)
No idea, probably not very well
Clearly they're winning the war
/s
/s
Russia should confiscate officials' souls. A piece of paper won't make them win the "special operation".
You can't confiscate something they don't have.
Let’s see, lower inflation, growth projected gdp, efficiency in military spending, public health care, very low urban crime rates/homelessness, econ partnerships with 70% of world population, and almost no national debt. Compare those points to the US/TheWest…
How did big orange Ben always put it, “nuff said”.
> lower inflation
> the US
huh? shill much?
> the US
huh? shill much?
> Russia confiscates passports of senior officials
... which passport? Russians have two passports, one is for the internal matters and other one for traveling abroad.
Add: lol downwotes. Sure, guys, you are always concentrated and read the article, filled with the fillers and stating what the water is wet to the brim, because, you know, someone may wake up from 20 years coma and suddenly need to read this article.
And to those who missed that part, like me:
> Alexandra Prokopenko, a former Russian central bank official, said passport restrictions had now expanded beyond individuals with security clearance.
> “Now they are coming to certain people and saying, ‘please hand in your red civilian passports, because you have access to sensitive information for the motherland, so we want to control your movements’,” she said.
Which to me sounds like bullshit.
... which passport? Russians have two passports, one is for the internal matters and other one for traveling abroad.
Add: lol downwotes. Sure, guys, you are always concentrated and read the article, filled with the fillers and stating what the water is wet to the brim, because, you know, someone may wake up from 20 years coma and suddenly need to read this article.
And to those who missed that part, like me:
> Alexandra Prokopenko, a former Russian central bank official, said passport restrictions had now expanded beyond individuals with security clearance.
> “Now they are coming to certain people and saying, ‘please hand in your red civilian passports, because you have access to sensitive information for the motherland, so we want to control your movements’,” she said.
Which to me sounds like bullshit.
The passports that the general (foreign) audience knows - the external/international one.
(sorry for answering here, replies are disabled under your last comment for me, I guess the flood/flame protection)
> Can you quote the update?
'civilian' is a direct translation of 'гражда́нский'[0] which would be a typical mistake for someone translating from Russian to English without context or the knowledge. So I think it's the internal one referenced here.
Honestly, taking the external passport wouldn't make sense, because the only place where it would be needed officially is after the border crossing and someone in the stop list would be stopped long before that by checking the internal passport. And at least some neighbouring countries allows crossing by Russian internal passport, so the external one isn't even needed.
But still the article reads as a cheap propaganda so until a more solid evidence shows up I would chalk it under the usual exaggeration of 'everything is bad there'.
> but this refers to the red-coloured external passport
I think both the red and maroon are referred as red there.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B6%D0%B...
> Can you quote the update?
'civilian' is a direct translation of 'гражда́нский'[0] which would be a typical mistake for someone translating from Russian to English without context or the knowledge. So I think it's the internal one referenced here.
Honestly, taking the external passport wouldn't make sense, because the only place where it would be needed officially is after the border crossing and someone in the stop list would be stopped long before that by checking the internal passport. And at least some neighbouring countries allows crossing by Russian internal passport, so the external one isn't even needed.
But still the article reads as a cheap propaganda so until a more solid evidence shows up I would chalk it under the usual exaggeration of 'everything is bad there'.
> but this refers to the red-coloured external passport
I think both the red and maroon are referred as red there.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B6%D0%B...
Nope, internal one. See the update
Can you quote the update? The nearest phrase that can be interpreted as the internal passport is "please hand in your red civilian passports" (full context below), but this refers to the red-coloured external passport (as opposed to green diplomatic, blue service, and maroon internal passport).
Quotation follows:
> Alexandra Prokopenko, a former Russian central bank official, said passport restrictions had now expanded beyond individuals with security clearance.
> “Now they are coming to certain people and saying, ‘please hand in your red civilian passports, because you have access to sensitive information for the motherland, so we want to control your movements’,” she said.
Quotation follows:
> Alexandra Prokopenko, a former Russian central bank official, said passport restrictions had now expanded beyond individuals with security clearance.
> “Now they are coming to certain people and saying, ‘please hand in your red civilian passports, because you have access to sensitive information for the motherland, so we want to control your movements’,” she said.
The answer is in the article.
> “Now they are coming to certain people and saying, ‘please hand in your red civilian passports, because you have access to sensitive information for the motherland, so we want to control your movements’,” she said.
It's amusing what you bothered to reply.
It's amusing what you bothered to reply.
The passport required for foreign travel seems the likely answer, given:
> Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesperson, confirmed Russia had tightened the restrictions on foreign travel for some who work in “sensitive” areas
> Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesperson, confirmed Russia had tightened the restrictions on foreign travel for some who work in “sensitive” areas