My life as a Russian exile in Paris: 'You can't fight French bureaucracy'
- Posted on July 23, 2026
- By Le Monde
- 1 Views
- 1 min read
In brief
This first-hand account follows Elizaveta Osetinskaya, a Russian journalist who fled to Paris in 2022 after opposing Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Navigating France's complex administrative system while struggling with language barriers, she shares candid insights into the immigrant experience. Her story reveals the hidden challenges beyond political safety that exiles face when rebuilding their lives in Western Europe, from prefecture paperwork to cultural integration.
Summary auto-generated by AI from the original publisher's content. Editorial standards.
My life as a Russian exile in Paris: 'You can't fight French bureaucracy'
'A Russian in Paris' (1/6). Journalist Elizaveta Osetinskaya, who came to France in 2022 because of her opposition to the war in Ukraine, describes the difficulties she has faced with the prefecture while barely speaking the language.
