Sri Lanka ends visas for hundreds of thousands of Russians staying there to avoid war.

www.independent.co.uk...

Sri Lanka has told hundreds of thousands of Russians and some Ukrainians staying in the country to escape the war that they must leave in the next two weeks, immigration officers said.

The immigration controller issued a notice to the tourism ministry asking Russian and Ukrainian people staying on extended tourist visas to leave Sri Lanka within two weeks from 23 February.

Just over 288,000 Russians and nearly 20,000 Ukrainians have traveled to Sri Lanka in the last two years since the war began, according to official data.

Commissioner-General of Immigration said the “government is not granting further visa extensions” as the “flight situation has now normalised”.

Tourism minister Harin Fernando told Daily Mirror that the ministry has been receiving complaints of some Russian tourists running unregistered and illegal businesses in the southern part of the country.

Raids were conducted by the authorities following discussions with the Immigration Department, he said.

It comes amid a furious social media backlash over Russian-run businesses with a “whites only” policy that strictly bars locals. These businesses include bars, restaurants, water sports and vehicle hiring services.

In a bid to boost tourism and recover from its worst economic crisis since 2022, Sri Lanka began granting 30-days visas on arrival and extensions for up to six months.

In April 2022, the nation defaulted on its $46bn (£36 bn) foreign debt. The economic crisis triggered violent street protests for several months and ultimately culminated in the resignation of then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa three months later.

I just came across this news article, and was suprised at how many Russians had fled to Sri Lanka to avoid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but it looks like the Sri Lankans are getting fed up with their over staying vistors.
It also appears as if the Sri Lankans are getting fed up with some of the racist Russians setting up 'whites only' businesses including bars, and restaurants which has caused a social media backlash amongst the Sri Lankan population.

Russian-run businesses with a “whites only” policy that strictly bars locals. These businesses include bars, restaurants, water sports and vehicle hiring services.

Instead of fleeing to somewhere else maybe these Russians should return and show Putin they're not interested in his war against Ukraine? By late 2022 it's believed nearly a million people had fled Russian to escape the draft and war in Ukraine.

This from an article back in early 2022...
www.abc.net.au...

Vladimir Putin calls them 'scum' and 'traitors'. Here's what life is like for Russia's new exiles.
A week after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, Oleg Yakovlev opened a flight booking website, frantically looking for any way out of Moscow.

The options were limited for him.

Because of air space restrictions and strict visa conditions imposed after the war began, a Russian passport doesn't grant people access to many countries anymore.

Australia, for example, is only issuing visas to Russians in exceptional circumstances and there are no direct flights.

"There were system errors, I did it for hours with all of the available destinations, " Oleg told the ABC.
"I was frightened — that's why I had to move."

He is one of at least 300,000 Russians who have left for political reasons since the war began.

About 15,000 have gone to Sri Lanka.

They are against the war, worried about conscription, or simply feel like they have no job prospects in a country that has isolated itself from the rest of the world.

Vladimir Putin has described the mass exodus of his people as a "self-detoxification" of Russia.

But as well as being a haven for those he calls "scum", Sri Lanka could be a convenient location for his alleged allies to stash their assets.

a reply to: Kurokage

I was going to say, that's a lot of Russians heading to Sri Lanka! I wonder why they went that far away?

As for setting up businesses for 'whites only', that is going a bit too far in a Country which allowed them in.

a reply to: xWorldxGonexMadx

It seems Sri Lanka was one of the last places Russians running from the war were allowed in.
Maybe some of these are the sorts of people and real Russians like Yulia Navalnaya that will eventually bring about change in Russia and remove Mad Vlad from power.

www.independent.co.uk...

The editor of a Moscow-based weekly magazine said the Kremlin’s crackdown on its front page coverage of Alexei Navalny’s death has made his publication more popular than ever.

Navalny, a fierce opposition figure who frequently spoke out against Vladimir Putin, died at an Arctic penal colony on 16 February in mysterious circumstances. Western leaders and Navalny’s family and team believe he was killed and that Mr Putin was responsible for his death.

Navalny’s mother Lyudmila said she was forced to sign a death certificate that stated that he died of natural causes.

a reply to: Kurokage

So Russians are running away from Russia???

But it's such a gorgeous country! With nice grocery stores and clean streets in Moscow!

And it's the only country in the world free of commies! The only country in the world that respects traditional values, family and religion!

So why?! Just why?!

Of course racist Russians!

Would expect anything less from the independent or the M8C stooges here.

Fact is Ukraine is still filled with (rebranded)nazis, and Russia is winning the war. My suspicion is the independent in there shady reporting probably forgot to mention it was like 3 people.

From a businesses perspective catering ONLY to the smallest demographics is suicide. But that wouldn't make for good anti-Russian propaganda.

a reply to: Kurokage


Russians run also only russian tourims business in Thailand....and locals were not allways happy about it .
Maybe the Russians did not use enough local services, or pay to locals.....Sri Lanka economy is not in good shape

originally posted by: JAY1980
Of course racist Russians!

Would expect anything less from the independent or the M8C stooges here.

Fact is Ukraine is still filled with (rebranded)nazis, and Russia is winning the war. My suspicion is the independent in there shady reporting probably forgot to mention it was like 3 people.

Any evidence of that or just a sad opinion?

From a businesses perspective catering ONLY to the smallest demographics is suicide. But that wouldn't make for good anti-Russian propaganda.

And Russian vistors on 'holiday'' visas setting up businesses in Sri Lanka for 'whites only' is good anti-Russian propaganda is it??
Maybe come back with some evidence.......

originally posted by: Kenzo
a reply to: Kurokage


Russians run also only russian tourims business in Thailand....and locals were not allways happy about it .
Maybe the Russians did not use enough local services, or pay to locals.....Sri Lanka economy is not in good shape

It looks like the Sri Lankans are so feed up with it, they're willing to take a hit on tourism to put a stop to these illegal businesses.

a reply to: JAY1980

No one is going to win that war.

Let’s say Russia gets an eastern land bridge and keeps Crimea… did they “win”? I don’t think so.

We achieved most of our objectives really quickly in Iraq, do any of us view us as winning that war? Not anyone I know.

You have to measure it against the cost. I can’t imagine most Russians who lost someone for this war will feel like they’ve won only to pick up an eastern sliver.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

It's continued existence is the win.

a reply to: JinMI

Only for the west.

Ukraine and. Russia have paid dearly for this war.

I know there’s a narrative that Russias economy is better off now than it was prewar… and maybe there’s a case for that looking at the short term.

But Russia was already experiencing a population decline ahead of this. Culling your young men is only going to exacerbate that. Every one of those deaths or severe injuries is more than one person each. Because that’s one less Male having kids.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

I agree while also arguing the Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs alike are winning big and still have families to leave it to.....

But Russia was already experiencing a population decline ahead of this. Culling your young men is only going to exacerbate that. Every one of those deaths or severe injuries is more than one person each. Because that’s one less Male having kids.

Which also applies to Ukraine now. As well as China with the US likely not far behind.


There's a whole thread in the conspiracy behind asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants into populations.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

But Russia was already experiencing a population decline ahead of this. Culling your young men is only going to exacerbate that. Every one of those deaths or severe injuries is more than one person each. Because that’s one less Male having kids.

With a supposed million Russian soliders killed and around 900.000 fleeing, the decline in the younger population has been dramatic.

So...that's where those went.
That's probably the entire 'upper middle class' Russia has.
I bet Putin misses them too. White supremacy and Putin's looking for nazi's anyway.
So that's a win win.

a reply to: Kurokage

More like Sri Lanka has been told to hassle the Russians or it will not get a loan extension from the WEF.

originally posted by: annonentity
a reply to: Kurokage

More like Sri Lanka has been told to hassle the Russians or it will not get a loan extension from the WEF.

Did you miss the fact that they're setting up businesses on tourists visas or the racist signage?

a reply to: JAY1980

If this is the picture it seems the internet is all in a tizzy about, it definitely comes across as racist and quite rude.



If Sri Lanka wasn't so broke, they might be a little pickier about who they let stay. As it stands, the vacate threat may be a bunch of hot air because they are desperate for income. They filed bankruptcy two years ago.

It appears though as apologies have been issued and the perpetrator has already left from what I have read.

a reply to: StoutBroux

I've seen a few stories about this now.
Seems like lots of Russian have over stayed on their visa and after complaints about racism and illegal businesses, the Sri Lankan Government has told many of them its time to leave.

a reply to: Kurokage

I'm laughing at Russians having to leave a tropical paradise to go back to Russia in winter!