Russian EU residence permits hit 876,600 as war-driven migration persists

Eurostat data show 876,600 Russian nationals held valid EU residence permits at end-2025, up from prior years, with Germany, Spain, and Estonia hosting the largest communities. The increase reflects sustained out-migration since the 2022 invasion, though the data do not distinguish war refugees from economic migrants or dual nationals. This signals a demographic and political shift in EU-Russia relations, with potential implications for asylum policy and regional security.