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Aron will examine the exodus of intellectuals and other professionals who have fled authoritarianism, militarism and a deteriorating economy at home before and after the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Based in Tbilisi, Georgia, he'll observe on a granular level how opposition activists, journalists, civil society actors and others are building new lives and careers, what they reflect about Vladimir Putin’s Russia, and how exile communities are affecting host countries.
Aron recently received a joint masters degree in global journalism and Russian/Slavic Studies from New York University. He's worked as a freelance journalist and is now a cybersecurity analyst. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, The Economist and The Moscow Times.
Aron's fellowship will be partly funded by a grant from the U.S.-Russia Foundation.