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IMMIGRATION

Germany sees spike in asylum applications from Russian citizens

In the first three months of 2023, Germany received almost as many asylum applications from Russian citizens as they did in the whole of 2022.

Published: 18 April 2023 11:15 CEST
Federal Office for Migration
Germany's Office for Migration in Berlin. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-Zentralbild | Jens Kalaene

​​When Russia’s war in Ukraine began on February 24th, 2022, many people seeking protection fled to Germany. Mainly they were women and children.

Yet in the first part of 2023, more and more asylum seekers – especially young men – are coming from Russia, according to the latest figures from the Federal Office for Migration (BAMF).

READ ALSO: ‘It feels like a dream’: The Ukrainian refugees arriving in Berlin from war zone

In the first three months of 2023, a total of 2,381 Russian citizens had applied for asylum in Germany. This means that after just a few months, the number came close to that of the whole of 2022, when 2,851 applications were recorded.

There was also a significant increase in the age group of 19- to 30-year-old men and women from Russia, according to the figures. Overall, Russians now submit the seventh highest number of asylum applications.

In March, asylum seekers from Syria made up the largest group applying for protection in Germany, or 23.7 percent, followed by Afghanistan (19.1 percent) and Turkey (13.4 percent)

More young men

In 2022, 59 percent of asylum applicants from Russia were male. From January to the end of March 2023, the figure stood at 64 percent, according to BAMF.

The large increase in young men can be attributed to Russia’s mobilisation of civilians, according to a report from German publishing house Table.Media. 

Deserters “who do not want to take part in Putin’s war can apply for asylum in Germany. As a rule, they receive international protection,” a spokeswoman for the Federal Office told the publishing house. 

The number of deserters among the applicants, however, has not yet been determined.

Last autumn, Russia announced a “partial mobilisation” to enlist new soldiers for its war in Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of young men fled the country.

In the meantime, the Russian government has accelerated its recruitment efforts: draft notices no longer have to be handed over in person, but can be delivered electronically. Observers fear that the new method is a means of preparing for more widespread mobilisation.

Vocabulary

asylum application – (der) Asylantrag

mobilisation – (die) Mobilmachung

take part/enlist – beteiligen

as a rule – im Regelfall

We’re aiming to help our readers improve their German by translating vocabulary from some of our news stories. Did you find this article useful? Let us know.

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IMMIGRATION

Scholz pledges to keep ‘strict controls’ on Germany’s borders

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has promised to fight 'irregular migration' by keeping stringent controls in place at several of Germany's borders.

Published: 26 July 2024 14:13 CEST
Scholz pledges to keep 'strict controls' on Germany's borders

“In general, it is our intention to continue to strictly control the German borders,” the SPD politician told the Saarbrücker Zeitung this week. He added that the numbers need to come down.

The Chancellor said labour migration was necessary and desirable. “But there are too many who come to us irregularly and claim to be seeking protection from persecution, but cannot give any reasons for asylum and are then rejected,” Scholz added.

Existing border controls, such as at checks at the border with France during the Olympic Games, will continue to apply until September 30th.

“It is our intention to continue to operate strict controls on the German borders,” Scholz said. 

At the land borders with Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland, there have been stationary check points for some time. They are planned to remain until December 15th for Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland, and until November 11th for Austria.

Border controls were tightened leading up to the EURO 2024 tournament, which took place in Germany from June 14th to July 14th.

At the time, Interior Ministry Nancy Faeser (SPD) said checks would be carried out at all of Germany’s nine borders, with a focus on combatting security threats such as Islamist extremism. 

According to the German Federal Police, more than 1.6 million people were checked when crossing the border during the tournament, and a total of 9,172 unauthorised entries were detected. Of these unauthorised entries, 6,401 people were turned back. 

Scholz said the number of irregular migrants being returned to their home countries had increased by 30 percent in light of the new border measures, adding that the government has taken “practical” action to restrict irregular migration.

Alongside tighter border controls, the government has also taken steps to speed up the asylum process in order to determine which migrants have a valid claim.

Deportation debate intensified by recent events

Discussions over deportations escalated in Germany after a 25-year-old Afghan went on a knife rampage at an anti-Islam rally in the western city of Mannheim back in May. 

READ ALSO: Tensions high in Mannheim after knife attack claims life of policeman

A police officer, 29, died of his wounds after being repeatedly stabbed as he tried to intervene in the attack, while five attendees at the Pax Europa rally were injured.

clean-up in Mannheim

Members of the fire brigade clean away the blood at the scene where several people were injured in a knife attack on May 31, in Mannheim.
Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP

The deadly attack sparked a furious debate over whether criminals should be returned to places like Afghanistan and Syria, even if those countries were deemed unsafe.

Scholz, who has previously voiced his support for deporting dangerous criminals to their home countries, said the government was currently working on ways to do so.

“Are we allowed to choose who comes to Germany? Yes,” the SPD politician said at the summer press conference in Berlin on Wednesday.

The Federal Government is working “very precisely” on deporting “offenders in particular” to Syria and Afghanistan, he added. 

A court in Münster recently concluded that parts of Syria were now safe for migrants to be returned to, potentially upending Germany’s long-standing asylum policy for citizens of the war-torn country. 

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