The number of Russians residing in Turkey has significantly decreased, with the population nearly halving in the past two years. In 2023, approximately 154,000 Russians lived in Turkey, but by 2025, this number had fallen to around 85,000. This information was provided by the Russian-supporting newspaper Izvestia, citing the Russian embassy in Ankara.
Following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, many Russians initially moved to Turkey. However, they are now leaving or relocating to other countries. Some are returning to Russia, while others are moving to Serbia, Portugal, Spain, or Georgia. Several factors have contributed to this shift.