Russians find refuge in the Maldives amidst ongoing Ukraine war
"I have the impression that if someone flew to the Maldives and wanted to speak only Russian during their vacation, they wouldn't have any problem," says Vera, a Russian living in the Maldives. The picturesque island has become a paradise for Russians who are tired of pro-war propaganda.
4:57 PM EDT, July 30, 2024
The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for more than two years. Many Russians are strongly opposed to its continuation, and some have decided to leave the country. One such person is 28-year-old Vera, who lives and works in the Maldives. In an interview with a correspondent from Onet, she explained why so many Russians are on the islands and what the locals think about them.
She had enough of the war and moved to the Maldives
Vera is a 28-year-old Russian woman. She worked as a client relations manager, but after the outbreak of the war, she decided to leave the country. One day, her friend, who lives in the Maldives, wrote to her. She offered her a job, and the 28-year-old agreed to her proposal.
She ended up on Thoddoo, a small, picturesque island. As soon as she arrived, she heard her fellow countrymen.
"The Russian language was heard everywhere! When I went to a café to eat something after a long journey, it turned out that the waiters were boys from Khabarovsk," Vera confessed.
The Maldives has become a haven for Russians who are weary of the war. Some of them have settled here permanently.
"I'm not even talking about the numerous Russians who run tours here or own hotels. I have the impression that if someone flew to the Maldives and wanted to speak only Russian during their vacation, they wouldn't have any problem," she continued.
Vera is now a hotel manager. Although she interacts with people worldwide, she believes that her fellow countrymen are the most demanding guests.
"For instance, at 2 AM, a guest from our hotel called me. I thought he felt unwell and needed a doctor. He needed a hairdresser at 2 AM! Of course, it was a tourist from Moscow. No European would behave this way," she said.
Later in the conversation, she talked about an aggressive Russian tourist who couldn't accept that alcohol sales are prohibited on the islands. The outraged man started cursing, and she ended the conversation. A negative review about her appeared on the establishment's website sometime later.
"It's so Russian: the client is a deity, the service — no one..." she confessed.
What do the residents of the Maldives think about Russians?
The war in Ukraine has caused many people to be hostile towards Russians. It turns out that in the Maldives, no one has a problem with it.
"The residents of the Maldives are indifferent to us. People from Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, who also work here, too. The war in Ukraine is something that doesn't concern them," she explained.
She also added that she sees no reason for hatred since Russians leave huge sums on the islands.
"And it's known that wealthy Russians come to the Maldives, leaving a fortune here. I think one of the reasons why Russians like the Maldives is the lack of questions about Russia's attack on Ukraine," she confessed.
