Daria Jermacane studies child welfare at Volda University College, and with a residence permit in Norway, she has no plans to return home when her studies are over.
– I am grateful every single day that I moved from Russia, the young girl tells TV 2.
The 25-year-old knew from an early age that she wanted to move and settle abroad. Already as a 14-year-old, the Russian began to ask questions about what was going on in his home country.
– There was something wrong. People were thrown in jail only if they said the slightest thing that went against the authorities, she says.
Persecuted or imprisoned
For Daria, it was inappropriate to continue living in a country without freedom of expression, with propaganda and media that painted a picture of Russia and the world that did not correspond to reality.
As soon as she finished high school, Daria moved to Latvia to study journalism.
– If I were to work as a journalist in Russia, I would either have to work for public media as a liar, or I would have to work in the opposition media and be persecuted or imprisoned, she says.
And that was no alternative.
On the run from Russia
Daria’s parents have always encouraged her to move abroad. They themselves remained when their daughter moved out of Russia six years ago, but after the war broke out in Ukraine, they understood that it was time to get away. Daria says that her parents got out of the country safely on Sunday.
Jørn Holm-Hansen, senior researcher at the Urban and Regional Research Institute NIBR, believes that more Russians want to flee the country now, for both economic and political reasons.
– DIFFICULT TO FORECAST: Senior researcher Jørn Holm-Hansen thinks it will take a little longer before there is a mass emigration of Russian refugees. Photo: Sonja Balci / OsloMet
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– In the first instance, it may be an escape of the type we saw in the Soviet era, with individuals who are subjected to persecution and have to go abroad, Holm-Hansen says.
He also believes that the economic consequences of sanctions and huge war expenses could drive the Russians out of the country.
The senior researcher, on the other hand, does not believe that we can expect a violent influx of refugees right away.
– What you can imagine is an emigration when the financial problems have been around for a while. It is not at all impossible that it can happen gradually in the long run, says Holm-Hansen.
Understanding Putin
When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Daria could not believe its own eyes. She was even more shocked when she called her childhood friends, who still live in Russia and never moved out like she did.
– FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: Daria Jermacane (25) could no longer live in a country without freedom of expression. Photo: Martin Giskegjerde
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– I could not believe that anyone would support Putin in this, but my childhood friends understood his actions. They think he does it for the best of the country, she says.
Since the beginning of the war, the telephone conversations of friends at home have almost always ended in discussion.
– I am shocked and disappointed with them. These are people I have known since I was a child, says Daria stated.
Blindly trust Putin
Although friends tell Daria that they are not positive about the war, Daria says that Putin has been put on a pedestal for so many years, that he is almost seen as a saint by many Russians. To many, he is more than just a president.
– They blindly trust him, no matter what he does, she says.
Daria says that if a decision is made by the Russian authorities that has negative consequences for the Russians, the people only blame the mayors or other politicians, and reassure themselves that “Putin did not know”.
Senior researcher Jørn Holm-Hansen says that many Russians support Putin.
– Putin is popular in Russia and we must take that into account, says Holm-Hansen.
He believes that the Russians’ acceptance of authoritarian regimes and hierarchy, the fact that Putin did a lot of good for the country during the first presidential term, combined with manipulation of the public discourse, are the reasons why Putin has some support among the population.
Whether the popularity will last after the war, he is more uncertain.
– It is quite obvious that the war is harmful to Russia. It remains to be seen whether Putin and his regime will succeed in convincing the people that everything is the fault of the West.
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