Till September, Aleksei Antropov was taking part in the double bass for the Russian Philharmonic orchestra in Moscow.
However when President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia’s first mobilisation since World Conflict II to spice up his faltering invasion of Ukraine, the 29-year-old fled to neighbouring Georgia the place he now works as a resort receptionist.
The classical musician is certainly one of tons of of hundreds of Russians, a lot of them younger males, who left the nation to keep away from the danger of being known as as much as struggle a struggle that some don’t agree with.
The Georgian capital, Tbilisi, was a well-liked vacation spot, as a result of it may be reached by land, has comparatively lax entry and exit guidelines, and enjoys shut cultural ties with Russia.
Antropov is embarking on a brand new life overseas, initially dwelling in an affordable hostel on the outskirts of Tbilisi earlier than transferring into an condominium with pals and holding down a modest job.
He’s additionally preserving his ardour alive and has gathered a small group of classical musicians who, like him, are Russians, with a view to performing in Tbilisi and probably Yerevan, the capital of neighbouring Armenia.
“I shouldn’t have an orchestra now,” Antropov advised Reuters. “So I’m constructing my very own.”
For the primary rehearsal in late December, held within the rented basement of a constructing in central Tbilisi, he purchased a stack of low cost plastic stools for the gamers to sit down on.
Antropov doesn’t intend to return to Russia for the foreseeable future, even when the political management adjustments.
“The subsequent Russian Putin could possibly be even scarier than the present one,” he mentioned, sitting in a Georgian café that serves native delicacies.
Recalling his journey to Georgia, he mentioned it took three days to cross the border at Verkhniy Lars as a result of the queues of individuals evacuating Russia had been so lengthy.
“We had been pushed to the border on nation roads, bribing law enforcement officials, after which walked greater than 10km up a mountain,” he mentioned, with a wry smile.
He hopes to purchase a property in Tbilisi someday.
“I would like a house – a spot the place I can come again. And I hope Tbilisi will develop into such a house for me. It’s a lovely metropolis.”
Grigory Dobrynin is the drummer with Russian band SBPCh (the Russian initials for “The Largest Prime Quantity”).
After Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, he, too, left for Georgia, taking solely a suitcase stuffed with belongings and two hats that he wore at live shows.
Whereas SBPCh continues to carry out in a slimmed-down model, Dobrynin now spends a lot of his time at Practica, a rehearsal area in Tbilisi that organisers designed as a gathering place for musicians from Georgia and overseas.
Jam classes occur each two weeks, whereas Dobrynin additionally teaches the drums.
“I don’t think about educating to be a step backwards for me. Instructing and taking part in in a band are simply various things, they can’t be in contrast,” he mentioned.
“(However) to be trustworthy, I actually miss the gigs and the live shows. It’s an enormous loss for me.”
Russian singer and guitarist Anastasia Ivanova, higher identified by her stage identify Grechka (“Buckwheat”), is ready to maintain touring however has not been in a position to carry out in Russia since leaving final spring, saying she was on a “blacklist” for her opposition to the struggle.
The 22-year-old, who has additionally primarily based herself in Tbilisi, mentioned she had carried out in Ukraine after the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea was illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014.
“I used to be very warmly welcomed by the Ukrainian viewers,” Ivanova mentioned. “So when Russian TV says that Ukrainians hate Russians, I do know it’s bulls***.”