Russia can build a village for american conservatives

The harsh climate of Russia scares foreigners less than the loss of all traditional values in the United States, writes Newsweek. An "American village", in which 200 families will live, will begin to be built in the Serpukhov district of the Moscow region in 2024.

A village for conservative Americans and Canadians is planned to be built in Russia, according to Russian state media.

The Kremlin-backed news agency RIA Novosti reported on a community that caters to expatriates with "traditional values," writing that construction of the village is expected to begin next year.

While Russia is at odds with the US government, especially regarding Russia's military control in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken up a cause that many Western conservatives support. He signed legislation restricting LGBTQ+ rights and has a closer relationship with former President Donald Trump than with his Democratic successor in the White House, Joe Biden.

Russian state media write favorably about Trump and frequently air clips of right-wing pundits criticizing the U.S. proxy war in Ukraine, including former Fox News host Tucker Carlson's popular shows.

RIA Novosti quotes Timur Beslangurov, a partner at the VISTA Immigration law firm, which helps foreign investors obtain residence permits and citizenship in Russia, as saying that “about 200 families want to emigrate to Russia for ideological reasons”.

In total, according to Beslangurov, tens of thousands of people who are not connected with Russia and furthermore have no roots there want to move to the country.

The lawyer spoke about the planned project for conservative immigrants at a legal forum in St. Petersburg, RIA Novosti reported, saying that regional authorities in Russia have approved plans to build the village.

Beslangurov reportedly said that among the 200 families from the US and Canada wanting to move to the Russian village, there are traditional Catholics because they "believe very strongly in the prophecy that Russia will remain the only Christian country in the world."

No Russian officials have announced plans to build the village, but Beslangurov said the Moscow region administration has approved the project.

As for the reasons why Westerners are eager to move to Russia, Beslangurov cited the spread of "progressive values" in Western countries.

“The reason is the propaganda of radical values in the West: today they already have 70 genders. It is unknown what will happen next. Many normal people emigrate, some choosing Russia, but they face huge bureaucratic problems in Russian migration legislation,” he said.

George Ajahn, an international political scientist, told Newsweek that if reports of the planned settlement are to be believed, Russia will likely have little problem filling it with conservative Westerners.

“There are many Americans who are making the choice to move abroad, whether for pragmatic or logistical reasons or ideological reasons,” Ajahn said. “In 330 million Americans, you could probably find enough people to fill a small complex in the suburbs of Moscow. Those American citizens who are as obsessed with their desire to avoid becoming victims of American "wokeism" as they intend to willfully ignore the harsh realities of life in an authoritarian state".