Mobilization fears drive new wave of Russians to Armenia, pushing rents sharply higher

Demand for rental housing in Armenia’s capital has surged as Russians reportedly prepare for a possible new wave of military mobilization, sending apartment prices in Yerevan sharply higher.

According to United24Media, citing reporting by Verstka, rents in Yerevan have increased by about 30% over the past three months as more Russians look to relocate.

Demand surges

Realtors in Yerevan told Verstka that demand has reached levels comparable to the mass emigration that followed Russia’s mobilization announcement in 2022.

One real estate agent said around 80% of prospective tenants had either recently arrived from Russia or were planning to leave the country. He added that demand was “huge” and broadly similar to the influx seen in 2022.

According to United24Media, many Russians are planning to relocate in late August or early September, with housing channels receiving dozens of inquiries each day from individuals and families preparing to emigrate.

Search trends

The report says online search data also points to growing interest. Citing Yandex Wordstat, Verstka reported that searches for “apartments in Yerevan” reached about 5,200 during the week of July 13-19, surpassing levels recorded immediately after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Google Trends also showed a sharp increase in searches during mid-July after almost no interest throughout the previous year, according to the report.

According to United24Media, Armenia has remained one of the main destinations for Russians leaving the country because citizens can enter using an internal passport and generally face fewer residency barriers than in many other countries.

Mobilization concerns

United24Media reported that Armenia’s Migration Service previously said around 786,000 Russians entered the country during the first ten months of 2022, while roughly 30,000 ultimately remained.

The renewed demand comes amid broader reports suggesting Russia may be preparing for another mobilization. According to United24Media, Rosgvardia has introduced wartime and mobilization scenarios into its civil defense regulations, while other reports have suggested the Kremlin could be considering a large-scale autumn call-up involving up to 1.2 million people.

Sources: United24Media, Verstka

This article is made and published by Lauge Risom Koch, who may have used AI in the preparation