We are Russian refugees.
By Nara Shin
Igor, a Russian refugee seeking asylum in the United States, embarked on an unexpected journey from the heart of Russia to Spokane. Starting in September of 2022, Igor’s and his wife Tanya's lives took a dramatic turn as the war between Russia and Ukraine became a stark reality forcing them to make the difficult decision to leave their homeland.
Igor and Tanya got married in 2005 and moved around different cities in Russia–St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Tomsk (the southern part of Russia near the Russia-Kazakhstan border). Young and happy, Igor enjoyed his life with Tanya. In Tomsk, they became parents and started their lives together. Tanya taught aesthetics, ethics, and etiquette at Tomsk State University (TSU) which is the first university in Siberia, and Igor worked at a big global company as a sales manager. At that time, Igor explains, “We never thought about leaving Russia. We didn’t need it. But when the war became a reality, I couldn’t live there anymore.”
Despite being Russians, Igor and Tanya opposed Russian propaganda and war, leading them on a path filled with sacrifices and heartbreak. It was a hard decision for Igor to make. “I worked at my company for six years. I didn’t want to lose that job. I couldn’t decide by myself, so I prayed to be laid off to make the reason to finally leave home. I was afraid,” Igor said.
During the war, Igor also lost his closest friend due to differing stances on the war. Igor had known the friend for 15 years, and they met several times a week. However, Igor said, “I supported the Ukrainian government, and my friend didn’t.” This left a deep pain in Igor’s heart that the friendship should be separated and ended because of the war. “We lost all our good life. It was very good. We even lost our friends,” he said.
The couple's decision to leave Russia accelerated when Vladimir Putin announced partial mobilization on September 21, 2022. They packed their necessities in their carry-on bags and moved to Almaty, Kazakhstan.
While staying in Kazakhstan for 11 months, Igor worked and rented a house. However, a temporary stay in Kazakhstan brought challenges, with fears of mobilization and high rents, prompting a move to Mexico in pursuit of asylum in the United States.
Unlike Ukrainian refugees getting the United for Ukraine (U4U) humanitarian parole sponsorship, Russian refugees cannot get sponsorships through the U.S. government. Igor’s family, therefore, went to Istanbul and fled to Mexico to schedule and wait for his Customs and Border Protection (CBP) appointment for asylum. They were expected to wait in Mexico for about 1-2 months, but they ended up staying in Mexico for about 150 days without being able to work and find legal help.
Igor said, “In Mexico, it was the first time in my life when I went down deeply emotionally. I have never felt like that before. My time in Russia after the start of the war… It was like a Cedar tree. Cedars can’t live in Siberian winter because they can’t grow and they can’t breathe. It’s too cold. But they stand and seem to endure and survive. There is a Ceder forest in front of the windows of our house in Russia. I was like a Cedar tree. I was holding myself, but I couldn’t breathe or live because it was too cold.”
Igor felt desperate, but some families helped him with love, care, and support in Mexico. Igor shows his gratitude to them for taking care of his family, and says that they ignited hope in his deepest heart. With the support from the local community, Igor, Tanya, and their two children waited and waited until January. Finally, they crossed the United States-Mexico border as a family and were guided by CBP officers for the asylum-seeking process.
When they finally stepped on the land of the United States, a series of miracles happened to them. An old American couple living near Dallas drove 700 miles to pick Igor’s family up from the CBP border office and hosted them in their house for a week. They did not know each other at all, but the couple was willing to help after getting connected with Igor’s old church in Kazakhstan through their choir performance on YouTube and learning that they arrived in the U.S. seeking asylums.
The couple's generosity extended to their church and local community, raising funds for Igor's family. With friends in Spokane, Igor dreamed of reaching this city and applied for housing at Thrive Center six months ago. It became a reality, thanks to a supportive community that arranged flights and even purchased a car. Igor did not know any of them, but the local community’s support poured unconditional love into Igor’s family right after they arrived in the new land.
“I am thankful that we have a place where we can rest, call, and sleep well. Even though we arrived here in January, Thrive and volunteers made a blanket gift for my family as a Christmas gift. It is a big, huge, warm blanket,” Igor said.
Looking ahead, Igor dreams of becoming a caregiver, driven by the love and support he received. Although he currently lacks work authorization, he's committed to learning English at a local school, envisioning a future where he can connect with people and build relationships in his newly adopted land.
Igor's story is one of resilience, community support, and the pursuit of hope amid challenging circumstances. From navigating the complexities of seeking asylum to finding unexpected warmth and support in a new land, his family's tale resonates with courage and community. As they settle into Thrive Center, Igor's journey remains a beacon of hope, illustrating the transformative power of kindness and solidarity in the pursuit of a thriving community.