Fact-Checking | Russian Senator Claims Russia is the 'Safest Country in the World'

According to the Poligraf website, a project of Voice of America, while political opponents of Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, are serving long prison sentences, a Russian senator has called Russia the 'safest country in the world.' On October 18, Russian state television RT quoted Sergey Tsikov, a Russian senator, who referred to what he called 'a high level of security in the country' and urged Russians living abroad to return to their homeland. He said, 'An ordinary person should understand that Russia is now the safest country in the world to live in – at least among European countries. We must explain that everything is fine here. I think they will return, and many are already coming back.' However, Poligraf states that this claim is false. A joint report by three human rights groups in October 2023 indicated that human trafficking, forced labor, and other forms of modern slavery disproportionately affect women and children in Russia. Considering life expectancy and homicide rates, Russia is not safer than its European neighbors. The homicide rate in Russia in 2021 was nearly seven per 100,000 people, while in Europe, it is two per 100,000. Compared to the rest of Europe, life expectancy in Russia is close to 73 years, which is only slightly better than Kosovo, which has the lowest life expectancy in Europe at just over 72 years. According to Poligraf, this invitation for Russians to return to their country is a reaction to the brain drain that began before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in March 2022. However, the war has significantly increased migration statistics. The Economist reported last March that over the past three years, Russia has lost two million more people than its annual average. The website 'America for All' (Share America), a platform of the U.S. State Department for sharing American views and culture with the world, reported in July that 'since 2022, nearly one million Russian citizens have left the country. It is estimated that 10 percent of these individuals – that is, one hundred thousand people – were IT specialists.' Aside from the brain drain, Russia is expected to face a more extensive population decline by 2036. Pessimistic forecasts indicate that Russia's population of 146 million will decrease to 134 million by 2036. It seems that Tsikov's aim in making this false claim about security within Russia is to reverse the trend of brain drain and the significant population decline in the country. Senator Tsikov, while urging Russians living abroad to return to their homeland, warned that any Russian who supports Ukraine's military efforts should be punished. He stated, 'There are also those who have received appropriate sentences from the court for their words. These individuals should be detained and prosecuted. Those who assisted the Ukrainian armed forces should also be punished. They should face severe penalties for this.' According to Poligraf, the idea that the invitation to return to the homeland should not include Russian migrants opposed to the government seems to be supported by Russian leaders. For example, Vyacheslav Volodin, the Chairman of the State Duma and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, described Russian citizens supporting Ukraine as 'born traitors.' Such rhetoric recalls Russia's history of punishing dissenters. The 'Memorial Human Rights Defense Center' reported in April 2023 that at least 558 political prisoners are currently in Russia. Among the political opponents of Putin are Alexei Navalny and Vladimir Kara-Murza, both of whom were arrested upon returning to Russia and sentenced to long prison terms based on their political views. Russia has also detained several journalists, including Alsu Kormasheva, a dual U.S.-Russian citizen working for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Kormasheva's detention was extended due to her failure to register as a foreign media employee. Ivan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter based in Russia, was arrested in March on espionage charges. If Gershkovich is found guilty, he could face 20 years in prison. A Kremlin-critical journalist was transferred to a prison in Siberia. A Moscow court rejected the American journalist's appeal against the extension of his detention. A bipartisan Senate plan for the release of the imprisoned American journalist in Russia is underway. The American journalist remains in custody; the U.S. ambassador criticized Russia's 'hostage diplomacy.' Russia extended the detention of the American journalist; the U.S. called for Gershkovich's immediate release. Russia extended the detention of an American journalist for another 43 days. An American journalist was detained in Russia; Alsu Kormasheva, a journalist for Radio Free Europe, was arrested. An additional 19 years were added to Alexei Navalny's prison sentence; there was a strong reaction from the U.S. and Europe. There are warnings about Alexei Navalny's mysterious illness; the possibility of 'gradual poisoning' in prison.