Russia's Anti-Woke Visa: One Year Later

One year ago, we wrote about U.S. citizens receiving asylum in Russia--as in, leaving the U.S. for Russia. These émigrés were looking for country with more "traditional, conservative values."

Russia's "Shared Values" visa was nicknamed the "anti-woke" visa, and citizens from several nations took up the offer of a new home. The BBC has a breakdown of applications during the first year: Germany led the pack with 224 applicants, followed by Latvia (126) and the U.S. (99).

The BBC followed up with some of the folks who relocated to Russia to see where things stand now. The article prominently features the story of Leo Hare, who moved his family to Russia from Texas. Within a week off his arrival, he was defrauded and left homeless. He's now separated from his wife and his older children have returned stateside. His summary: the Russian people are great, but he has concerns about the country's economy, "restrictions on access to information," and lack of "human rights values." Say less.