Aron Ouzilevski is reporting on the exodus of Russians fleeing authoritarianism, militarism, mobilization and a deteriorating economy at home before and after the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Based in Tbilisi, Georgia, he travels to other émigré hubs to observe on a granular level how creative and tech professionals, activists, journalists and civil society actors are adapting to new lives and careers, how they are affecting their host countries and what they reflect about Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
Aron holds a joint masters degree in global journalism and Russian/Slavic Studies from New York University. He’s worked as a freelance journalist, editor and cybersecurity analyst. His research and writing has focused on Soviet and contemporary Russian politics and culture, and his work has appeared in The Guardian, The Economist and The Moscow Times.
Dispatches from Aron Ouzilevski
Exiles from Russia’s North Caucasus discover their voices
But they confront limited resources and fear of persecution back home
In Tbilisi, Russian emigres grieve over Alexei Navalny’s death
Could the loss become a catalyst for action against Putin?
Russian exiles in Armenia part of a 180-year tradition
But the wartime context is making it difficult to forget troubles back home.