February 19, 2023

Cry for Me, Argentina


Cry for Me, Argentina
An Argentine police officer at the Ezeiza Airport in Buenos Aires. La Nación, Instagram.

Since the war in Ukraine started, pregnant Russians have been traveling to Argentina in droves to give birth, to obtain a foreign, non-Russian passport. Originally, they were received with open arms.

That situation may be in jeopardy, however, after immigration officers detained six women trying to enter the country as tourists, but who were 32 weeks pregnant — weeks from giving birth. Argentinian authorities suspected the women were victims of criminal organizations that were engaging in migrant trafficking and falsification of documents.

On February 15, Police raided the home of Elena Kuklina, the head of a birth tourism agency suspected of falsifying home addresses and obtaining permanent residencies through an agent called Olga Guz. Local officials are also being investigated for taking part in the operation.

Another worry expressed by migration authorities is that 7000 Russians left Argentina for other countries immediately after obtaining Argentinian passports. Concern about the trustworthiness of the country's passports deepened after a Russian spy holding Argentine citizenship was caught in Slovenia. The National Director of Migrations, Florencia Carignano, suspects the person arrested was naturalized after having a child in Argentina.

In response, Kiril Makoneev, owner of  RuArgentina, the birth tourism agency under investigation, told La Nación that "money is the best filter" for getting trustworthy clients. He also accused the government of unfairly targeting Russians.

No changes have as yet been announced to Argentina's welcoming visa policy for Russians.

You Might Also Like

AI Will Watch You
  • February 13, 2023

AI Will Watch You

Russian authorities plan to use artificial intelligence to scour the interwebs for undesirable political information.
Standing the Test of Time
  • January 31, 2023

Standing the Test of Time

A conservative State Duma deputy called for the removal of The Gulag Archipelago from the Russian school curriculum.
Let it Go, Let it Go
  • December 30, 2022

Let it Go, Let it Go

Russian men mobilized to fight in Russia's War on Ukraine will be able to freeze and store their sperm for free.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955