How War Transforms Migration: The Case of Recent Russian Migration in Belgrade

The article examines the implications of new international migration patterns in Belgrade, a topic of utmost importance that significantly affects EU asylum and migration policies. We argue that a paradigmatic shift occurred in migratory processes over the past ten years, which the conventional human movement tracking model fails to capture. The article presents research that seeks to place and represent Russian immigrants in Belgrade in the context of the specific social interactions intensified by military aggression in Ukraine. We will try to compare the demographic composition and social backgrounds of migrants, their implications on contemporary international relations, and the potential impacts of the recent wave of migration. Our reflections on these migratory movements will offer novel perspectives on their consequences for social relations and public policies. This article aims to make new and critical contributions to the ongoing debates about contemporary migration by employing a qualitative argumentative analysis research method.