It's quite misleading to refer to them as "escaping the horrible realities of Putin's regime" like they were some kind of defectors, when according to your source they were all working as representatives of Russian labs, and most weren't based at CERN itself. It was the cooperation with the affiliated labs that was terminated. Russian citizens affiliated to non-Russian labs were allowed to stay.
Russia was not a member of CERN, so most Russian physicists worked there on (fake-ish, for documents only) exchange programs with JINR Russia. Most of them were living in France or Switzerland for many years. Given the opportunity, every single one of them would have changed the affiliation, but CERN only agreed to employ them this way (unless they find an actual academic position in an actual European university on a short notice, which is next to impossible). Okay, maybe there were a few actual JINR employees, but that what screening is for.
I am a Russian scientist too (not CERN affiliated). I live in a European country since 2005. I donated many thousands dollars to Ukrainian causes, and brought hundreds of thousands of value with donations I organized. Now, my bank account is blocked just for the reason of my nationality, and my residence permit is not being renewed. Meanwhile, Russian oligarchs continue managing shadow fleets from European countries, and exchange millions of dollars freely (e.g. with Raiffeisen bank), and everybody knows that (I am not allowed, of course, to open any bank account, neither in Raiffeisen, not anywhere else in Europe). And many EU countries still pay hundreds of millions for Russian natural gas, and this money directly finance Russian military power.
I personally know Ukrainian scientists who lost their temporary protection permits too. Some of them moved back to war-thorn Ukraine, others went to other countries to try their luck there.
You can say "well, tough luck". But tough luck will be for many other people. Some Americans are now wondering why they are being turned away, asking "but we never voted for him!" And they weren't indeed. Judging people by their nationality is not good for everyone involved.
Oh I would be the most happy person to do it. The writing was on the wall since 2008, and I am painfully aware of it.
However, my host country is Switzerland, where if you are not already a EU citizen, you have to live 10 years basically working on the same permanent job before even getting a permanent residence, _without interruptions_, and years in the academia up and including to the postdoc level do not count. Both me and my wife are researchers. Our life was all about academia and interruptions and temporary contracts and travel. And they kept resetting the counter. For _twenty years_. Even though my daughter was born here more than ten years ago, goes to local school, speaks French and never has been in Russia. They don't care.
And what I, personally, have to do with what Kremlin is doing? I live in Switzerland since 2005 (and I am as far away from citizenship as when I just came here). I left Russia because I hate authoritarianism and Putin. Last time I even was in Russia (for five days or so) was in 2014, and I noped out of there and vowed never to come there again specifically for that reason, as I have seen the writing on the wall as clearly as anyone else. I always publicly supported Ukraine and donated a lot to her cause, so it is not a good idea to ever go back.
And now you are telling me that what is done to me is "necessary", while true perpetrators keep opening their shadow companies and earning money from gas exports to Europe. How come?
I was often wondering how Russians living in the EU feel being pointed at because of what Putin does.
Unfortunately the only Russian I know is a woman living in France for 20 years, married with a French guy and claiming that Russia was attacked and is just defending against agressiin and Nazis. This is sad, I have not talked to her since.
You may want to consider France: you speak French, your daughter is integrated with the culture (I guess you are around Geneva), so it may be an easier place to live in.
Thank you for your kind words! Re: the woman in France, sadly, there are many people like her. Many of them _had_ obtained the citizenship of their host countries.
