Russians fleeing repressions and mobilization once found refuge in Kazakhstan. Now, Kazakh authorities are helping Moscow hunt them down.

In 2022, Kazakhstan became one of the main escape routes for Russians fleeing wartime repressions and military service. In the weeks after the Kremlin announced a mobilization, more than 400,000 people entered the country from Russia. For many, it was just a stopover, but an estimated 50,000 to 80,000 stayed. Many Russians saw Kazakhstan as an obvious choice: they could travel there without international passports, and the Russian language is widely understood. And while Astana didn’t condemn...