The number of first asylum applications from people from Russia remains relatively high. In the first four months, 186 Russians applied for asylum in the Netherlands. In the whole of 2021, there were 205, according to the most recent figures from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND).
In April, 68 Russians applied for asylum in our country. This puts Russia in seventh place in the list of countries that supply the most asylum seekers, according to the IND. Syria tops the list, with 579 applications in April.
Also in March relatively many Russians (83) applied for asylum in the Netherlands. In January there were 16 and in February 19. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine at the end of February, more Russians have fled their country. Internal repression has increased, partly due to new legislation that makes it possible to arrest people based on their opinions about the war.
Different reasons
The IND does not keep track of the reasons for which people apply for asylum in the Netherlands. The service previously reported through a spokeswoman: “Evidence shows that asylum seekers from Russia who have recently arrived have fled for a variety of reasons. Among them are those who have criticized the current government, conscientious objectors, human rights activists, journalists, LGBTI people. ‘ers and Jehovah’s Witnesses.”
Ukrainians also apply for asylum in the Netherlands, despite the fact that they are officially not required to do so for a temporary stay in the Netherlands. In April, 10 Ukrainians applied for asylum for the first time. In March it was about 50 people. More asylum applications have been made by Ukrainians in the first four months of this year (83) than in all of 2021 combined (71).