The policy, reported by the Russian state media agency TASS, offers temporary asylum and residence to those who align with traditional values, as defined by the Russian government. Putin's decree allows foreign nationals who wish to "escape neoliberal ideals" to apply for residence in Russia. The policy is framed as providing "humanitarian support" for individuals fleeing cultural shifts perceived as negative and attracting those who embrace conservative values. Under the new directive, foreign nationals will be eligible to apply for three-month visas "outside the quota approved by the Russian government and without the need to provide documentation proving their knowledge of the Russian language, Russian history, or basic laws." Residence applications can be based on the applicant's rejection of their home country's policies, which Russia claims are "aimed at imposing destructive neoliberal ideals that run counter to traditional Russian spiritual and moral values." This move follows recent comments by Putin, in which he instructed his government to develop a program to promote "traditional Russian spiritual and moral values" abroad. The Russian president has frequently criticized Western nations, labeling them "satanic" and accusing them of rejecting "moral norms," particularly in the context of debates surrounding gender identity and children's access to sex change surgeries. The new asylum policy is part of Russia's broader strategy to attract conservative Westerners. Last year, Russian officials announced plans to construct a "migrant village" for conservative American and Canadian expatriates. Timur Beslangurov, a migration lawyer at Moscow’s VISTA Foreign Business Support, reported that around 200 families have expressed interest in emigrating to Russia for ideological reasons. “The reason is propaganda of radical values: Today they have 70 genders, and who knows what will come next,” he said. In recent days, Russian officials have also linked the country’s adherence to traditional values with a supposed immunity to the infectious viral disease mpox, also known as monkeypox. Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global health emergency following an outbreak in Africa and a confirmed case in Sweden. The WHO has advised that the virus primarily affects “men who have sex with men.” Russian authorities are expected to begin issuing three-month visas to asylum applicants starting in September. Moscow is also reportedly working on a list of countries it claims are imposing unhealthy values on its citizens.Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a new initiative aimed at welcoming foreign nationals who seek refuge from what he describes as "neoliberal ideals" in their home countries.
