Vladimir Putin has decided to turn the Russia In a stronghold of the traditional family and Russian moral values, away from the Wokea’s Wokea. Within this framework it has established the so -called “Shared Values Visa” (“Visa Common values’).
Russell-a supporter of the Australian anti-Woke agenda managed: he acquired in Russia the coveted-for himself-“visa of common values”.
On his YouTube channel “Travelling with Russell” he posted his last visit to the competent authorities. “Now I have three years to live here, find work and home,” Russell tells the camera.
Russell is not the only one who wants to live in Russia. On social media There are many users from the West who are now living or planning to live in Russia. For those of what is happening in their homelands With regard to religion, family, LGBTKI community and immigration is overly liberal – And living in a more conservative society seems attractive.
It is precisely Russia for these people with “Anti-Woke-Viza”, as the program of the visas based on common values is called informally, which started by President Putin in August 2024. The Presidential Decree states that the visa offers “humanitarian support to people who share traditional Russian spiritual and moral values”.
Citizens or permanent residents of European states, the US, Australia, Japan and some other states may apply for “visa of common values”. They do not have to prove that they know Russian well, nor that they have some particular knowledge of the country’s culture and legislation. They must state, however, that they are not in line with the policy of their country of origin. The visa is usually issued for a three -year period and can be expanded upon its completion.
What is Russia’s goal?
“It is primarily a symbolic policy,” says a sociologist and expert in Russia, Katarina Bloom. With this program, the Russian government sends a message both inside the country and abroad: “It shows its citizens that” here are people who come to us, because we offer them what the degenerate west cannot offer them. “
And at the same time he says to the Western world that ‘you can come to us if you are bothering what is happening to you [στη Δύση]we represent a better Europe, its Europe patriotism and traditional values and gender roleswhich no longer exist in other countries. “
Beyond the political symbolism, however, Bloom believes that the demographic challenges facing Russia has played an important role in the creation of this program. Because the Russian population has been declining for years despite the motives offered by the state – and the aggressive war against Ukraine has resulted in significant human casualties and led many young Russians to leave the country.
‘Russia is safe for families’
Thus, families such as Fenstra, who have eight children and came from Canada, are more than welcome in Russia. Fenstras tells detail about their new life on social media. Father Ared explains in a video that “Russia is one of the few countries still safe for traditional, Christian families.” And beyond that in his Russia it is easier to meet his family’s needs than Canada.
In this way they promote this program and platforms such as Russianresidency.org, which refers to low taxation, free education, impeccable healthcare system and low cost of living.
According to a spokesman for the Russian Ministry of the Interior in the first nine months of the start of the program, 1,156 applications have been made – the country with most applicants is Germany (224). But these numbers are not sufficient to resolve the Russian demographic problem.
Russian propaganda with immigrant videos?
State media are very much promoting the stories of people who have come to the country from the West. Many speculate that Moscow also supports content creators on social media who have migrated from the West to Russia.
The Important Stories online magazine published in March that the Russian foreign RT station – where sanctions have been imposed on many countries in the West – is funding videos on social media, where people who have migrated to Russia praise the country and criticize the West. According to the same reporters of the Russian state station, they are behind youtube channels, such as the “Russian Road”.
Even if this is the case, it would not be particularly impressed: Russia has taken even more drastic measures in many cases. During the US election campaign for example, there were actors who were filming fake videos and then published them on social media.
Bloom also estimates that the program for “common values” is actually part of the Russian propaganda mechanism.
Source: DW