Posted on Mar 28, 2022
In response to the war, Americans flee Russia in droves
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https://www.npr.org/2022/03/28/ [login to see] /in-response-to-the-war-americans-flee-russia-in-droves
Journalist Michele Berdy arrived in Moscow shortly after graduating from Amherst College in 1978.
On March 9, she caught a ride out of Russia with one suitcase, her dog Riley, and no idea when — or if — she might return.
"Before I left, I cried 20 times a day. I just could not believe that I would have to leave and maybe not come back," Berdy said.
When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, Berdy initially planned to stay put and keep working at The Moscow Times, an English-language newspaper, where the staff includes both Westerners and Russians.
Journalist Michele Berdy arrived in Moscow shortly after graduating from Amherst College in 1978.
On March 9, she caught a ride out of Russia with one suitcase, her dog Riley, and no idea when — or if — she might return.
"Before I left, I cried 20 times a day. I just could not believe that I would have to leave and maybe not come back," Berdy said.
When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, Berdy initially planned to stay put and keep working at The Moscow Times, an English-language newspaper, where the staff includes both Westerners and Russians.
In response to the war, Americans flee Russia in droves
Posted from npr.org
Russia
Ukraine
Posted 2 y ago
Responses: 4
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"Rescuing" people is not the government's duty. They chose to be there. They can figure their own way out. If we were to go in to try to "rescue" Americans in Russia, putin would see that as tantamount to war.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
...""Before I left, I cried 20 times a day. I just could not believe that I would have to leave and maybe not come back," Berdy said.
When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, Berdy initially planned to stay put and keep working at The Moscow Times, an English-language newspaper, where the staff includes both Westerners and Russians.
But she knew it was time to leave a few days later when Russia passed a law saying anyone criticizing the Russian war could get up to 15 years in prison.
"You can't call it a war, you can't call it an invasion, you can't call Russia the aggressor," she said. "It would be impossible to not violate the law and to be able to report. It just seemed suddenly it was very dangerous for all of us."
Aside from several years in the 1980s, Berdy has lived in Moscow since she got out of college. She's seen a lot over the past four decades. The collapse of the Soviet Union, political chaos, financial meltdowns — but nothing like this.
"I had three days to just figure out what of my entire life that I had in Russia I could put in a suitcase and a take-on bag," said Berdy, who owns her apartment in Moscow.
"I just left a full apartment," she added. "How do you leave an apartment for two months or two years?"
She caught a van to Riga, Latvia.
"It cost 100 euros for my dog and 90 euros for me," Berdy said."...
...""Before I left, I cried 20 times a day. I just could not believe that I would have to leave and maybe not come back," Berdy said.
When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, Berdy initially planned to stay put and keep working at The Moscow Times, an English-language newspaper, where the staff includes both Westerners and Russians.
But she knew it was time to leave a few days later when Russia passed a law saying anyone criticizing the Russian war could get up to 15 years in prison.
"You can't call it a war, you can't call it an invasion, you can't call Russia the aggressor," she said. "It would be impossible to not violate the law and to be able to report. It just seemed suddenly it was very dangerous for all of us."
Aside from several years in the 1980s, Berdy has lived in Moscow since she got out of college. She's seen a lot over the past four decades. The collapse of the Soviet Union, political chaos, financial meltdowns — but nothing like this.
"I had three days to just figure out what of my entire life that I had in Russia I could put in a suitcase and a take-on bag," said Berdy, who owns her apartment in Moscow.
"I just left a full apartment," she added. "How do you leave an apartment for two months or two years?"
She caught a van to Riga, Latvia.
"It cost 100 euros for my dog and 90 euros for me," Berdy said."...
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