How to return to Russia if you are stuck in another country? We share tips that may be useful to Russian citizens who find themselves abroad these days.
In recent days, everyone is restless, and if you also find yourself thousands of kilometers from home, in another country, the situation is complicated not only by anxiety but also by real problems in movement. From February 24 to 27, all EU countries, as well as Canada and a number of European states that are not members of the EU, closed their airspace for Russian aircraft. In response to this, the Russian side introduced retaliatory measures. If you are suddenly stuck abroad, do not panic, because you can return to Russia even when air traffic with the country has practically ceased. We tell you how to act in such a situation.
Explore your financial options
If you use a Russian bank card, it is better to play it safe and withdraw cash (even if your bank is not currently on the sanctions list, you should still play it safe abroad). Yes, we understand that there will be a commission, and with the current exchange rate, it will also be, to put it mildly, unprofitable. But still, it is better to lose some of your funds than to be left without them at all, and the local currency of the country in which you are located is now, most likely, more stable than the ruble. Unfortunately, the possibility of blocking the card abroad now exists. So it would be nice to have time to withdraw funds before this happens. That way, you will most likely be more relaxed.
Be in touch with the tour operator (if you came on a package tour)
If you are now vacationing in one of the European or Latin American cities open to European tourists, be in touch with the tour operator who helped organize this trip. The company should also help you get home. Perhaps this will require additional costs since the air corridors have now increased noticeably, but nevertheless, you should get home. Still, countries like Turkey and the UAE have been familiar to many since the pandemic as transfers on the way home from closed countries.
Contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Tourism Agency, but rely on yourself (if you came on your own)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia and the Federal Tourism Agency is asked to report any problems to the hotline. However, if you are alone in a closed country, this does not mean that you have problems. No matter how scary the words may sound that Russia and Europe have closed their airspace to each other, there are still airports that can be used for transit. For example, you can fly from Europe via Turkey or Serbia (provided that you are not flying with a Russian airline). Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan are also suitable as transfer hubs for Russians. They did not impose sanctions against Russia. Therefore, if you have the financial ability to purchase tickets, it is better to do it yourself. But in case there are problems, it is still better to contact the hotlines for Russians in other countries.
Don’t Forget Ground Transportation
Let’s be clear – the closure of flights does not mean the closure of borders. Therefore, you can still get out of some countries without panic, even despite the absence of aircraft. For example, from the Baltic countries, as well as Poland and Finland, you can easily leave by bus. Still, their action has not yet been canceled. This, of course, will take some time, but at least you won’t have to fly to Turkey.
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