Yanukovych, Assad and other fugitive dictators ended up in "Putin's cage"

The i Paper reports that Russia provides refuge to overthrown leaders, including Bashar Assad, Viktor Yanukovych and others, but they live in a "golden cage" under Kremlin control. Assad settled on Rublyovka, plays video games and studies ophthalmology, but is banned from politics. Moscow spends resources on their security, while Ukrainian intelligence continues hunting defectors, as in the case of Ilya Kiva.

The i Paper reports that Russia provides refuge to overthrown leaders, but their life in the aggressor country has become a trial. Former Syrian president Bashar Assad moved to Russia after the fall of his regime and settled on Rublyovka. He has virtually disappeared from public space, spending time in private life, playing video games and studying ophthalmology. Moscow does not allow him to return to politics, as it continues to discuss the fate of Russian military facilities with Syria's new leadership. Russia's ambassador to Iraq, Elbrus Kutrashev, stated that Assad may stay but not engage in political or media activity. Among other exiles are former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, former Kyrgyz president Askar Akayev, former head of Adjara Aslan Abashidze, and relatives of Slobodan Milosevic. The value of the Assad family's Moscow real estate could reach $40 million. Russian authorities expect the exiles to support themselves. Dozens of Ukrainian politicians linked to the Party of Regions are in Russia, cooperating with Russian structures. Experts describe their situation as a "golden cage": physical security in exchange for renouncing public activity. Ukraine continues to hunt defectors; in 2023, Ilya Kiva was eliminated.