Many public figures have immigrated to Russia recently amid a trend that’s seeing many westerners flee the oppressive and propaganda saturated West to live in “freedom loving” Russia, going against the stereotype portrayed in Western media.
Famous names of people who have recently moved to Russia (or are considering it) include: Gerard Depardieu, Roy Jones, Fred Durst (of Limp Bizkit), and Lennox Lewis.
Pravdareport.com reports:
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Roy Jones, an American athlete, became a citizen of Russia after meeting with President Putin. Rumor has it (it is not clear how reliable the rumor is) that Fred Durst, the frontman of Limp Bizkit, is thinking about a Russian passport in his pocket as well. Durst is married to a Russian woman, so it can be possible.
Another famous athlete, Olympic champion and former undisputed world heavyweight champion in boxing, Lennox Lewis, is going to become a Russian citizen, Vice President of Professional Boxing Federation of Russia Andrei Ryabinsky said.
Changing citizenship is not equally harmless
Edward Snowden, a former CIA analyst, was forced to seek political asylum in Russia, after he had unveiled many interesting facts about US intelligence to the world. They say that Snowden is living a lot better than the pioneer of Internet revelations, Julian Assange, who has been living in an embassy for years, without being able to go outside. Snowden can travel all across Russia – this is obviously a lot more freedom.
There are foreign journalists that love Russia a lot more than their home lands. Some of them say that freedom of speech works a lot better in Russia. Tim Kirby, a video blogger and a TV presenter at RT, wants to obtain the Russian citizenship.
Foreign athletes see Russia as their second homeland as well. During the Winter Olympics in Sochi, it became known that snowboarder Vic Wild had obtained Russian citizenship. Viktor Ahn, a short track champion, became a citizen of the Russian Federation as well. There were athletes, who obtained Russian citizenship prior to the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Yuko Kawaguti, a Japanese skater, became a citizen of Russia in 2008. Two American basketball players, Rebecca Linney Hammon and Deanna Nolan, received Russian passports the same year.
The list can go on and on with other names – athletes, journalists, actors, balloonists, scientists, inventors. What makes prominent people move to Russia from the West? It appears that the West has taken the tenets of tolerance and political correctness to large-scale grotesque forms, making it hard for normal people to live in the West.
In search for freedom, Europe and America have come to the point that is referred to as “liberal totalitarianism” and “dictate of minorities.” The people, who see it and do not want to live in this, – they pack their bags and go to Russia – the country of traditional values in the ocean of ultra-liberalism.
Apparently, the image of “cold and wild Russia” has been getting vague both inside and outside Russia. People realize that it will be a lot more comfortable for them to live and work in Russia. Actors, scientists and athletes used to move to the United States of America. They were going there in search for the American dream. The dream has come true for just a few of them.
Now we can see foreigners coming to Russia for the Russian dream. These new citizens will become real patriots of our country, as it is hard not to love Russia. Loving Russia is easy, pleasant and natural.
Sean Adl-Tabatabai
Que usa paid trolls… Now! Goo go go, we’re the kids of america ahwowao”shoots brains out”.
Que usa paid trolls… Now! Goo go go, we’re the kids of america ahwowao”shoots brains out”.
I can certainly see the attraction and the movement. 40 years ago the best place to start a business, raise a family or experience economic mobility was probably the US. That all changed with Reagan and the shift to corporate control of all public policy. A lot of people, the majority have seen their quality of life, personal freedom and opportunities for their children evaporate. Just the opposite has happened in Russia and there is a distinct feeling of personal freedom and less stressful life. It is also safer, street crime is much lower, few guns, and people are just less uptight, polarized and fearful.
Russia has changes a lot, particularly after the Yeltsin years where the oligarchs amassed gigantic fortunes by taking over state assets. After the ruble crisis in 1998 which almost wiped out the middle class, there was a steady 7-8% GDP growth per year, second only to China, until 2008. The economy was handled very well during the 2008 Wall Street melt down that severely damages the world economy, property values did not drop in Russia. The ruble was kept strong due to the wise choice of putting away foreign reserve funds to be able if needed to support the ruble value. Employment did not suffer much, and Russia survived the 2008 crisis much better than other countries.
Sure there are some problems but none as significant as claimed in the highly biased daily news in the west vilifying the country and leadership. When someone visits from the west, on vacation, they immediately discover everything they knew about Russia was wrong and the impression is dramatically better than expected. That surprise, almost shock, that comes to people when they discover what they assumed to be true, is not, after years of daily Russia bashing in western media.
Given another decade, it is a very young country, only since 1991, Russia will likely much further along, the advancing upward momentum as seen in the last 17 years. It is exciting to watch and participate in.
I am positive the main reason foreigners seek to move to Russia is the contemporary society, the people. Nowhere is one going to find a more universally education population, or warmer welcome, with a great humane sense of humor. It is a much more social place than anyone would expect, meeting new friends is very easy.
Yes, it does not surprise me at all that a lot of people want to move to Russia after visiting the first time.
I can certainly see the attraction and the movement. 40 years ago the best place to start a business, raise a family or experience economic mobility was probably the US. That all changed with Reagan and the shift to corporate control of all public policy. A lot of people, the majority have seen their quality of life, personal freedom and opportunities for their children evaporate. Just the opposite has happened in Russia and there is a distinct feeling of personal freedom and less stressful life. It is also safer, street crime is much lower, few guns, and people are just less uptight, polarized and fearful.
Russia has changes a lot, particularly after the Yeltsin years where the oligarchs amassed gigantic fortunes by taking over state assets. After the ruble crisis in 1998 which almost wiped out the middle class, there was a steady 7-8% GDP growth per year, second only to China, until 2008. The economy was handled very well during the 2008 Wall Street melt down that severely damages the world economy, property values did not drop in Russia. The ruble was kept strong due to the wise choice of putting away foreign reserve funds to be able if needed to support the ruble value. Employment did not suffer much, and Russia survived the 2008 crisis much better than other countries.
Sure there are some problems but none as significant as claimed in the highly biased daily news in the west vilifying the country and leadership. When someone visits from the west, on vacation, they immediately discover everything they knew about Russia was wrong and the impression is dramatically better than expected. That surprise, almost shock, that comes to people when they discover what they assumed to be true, is not, after years of daily Russia bashing in western media.
Given another decade, it is a very young country, only since 1991, Russia will likely much further along, the advancing upward momentum as seen in the last 17 years. It is exciting to watch and participate in.
I am positive the main reason foreigners seek to move to Russia is the contemporary society, the people. Nowhere is one going to find a more universally education population, or warmer welcome, with a great humane sense of humor. It is a much more social place than anyone would expect, meeting new friends is very easy.
Yes, it does not surprise me at all that a lot of people want to move to Russia after visiting the first time.