Markets Magazine
Russians Transform Dubai as They Flee Putin’s War: Photo Essay
Take a look at their culture at cafes, festivals and even a sailing school.
The Dubai Marina neighborhood, favored by many Russians.
Photographer: Leo Skryabin for Bloomberg Markets
Thousands of Russians flocked to Dubai after the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago. Fleeing military conscription and economic dislocation, they rushed to the United Arab Emirates’ business hub to buy property, found companies and start branches of their Moscow operations—or just build new lives from scratch.
Russians have tried to make the UAE more like their home. They’ve transformed Dubai’s neighborhoods, where the Russian community can now find familiar cafes, such as Dodo Pizza or Angel Cakes.