The conversation flowed from Turkish to Russian as Oleg and Aleksandra Chernousov spoke to guests at the opening of their bookstore in Istanbul, the beginning of a new life in a new city they thought would just be a temporary home.
They had departed St. Petersburg seven months before with only a few items and one clear goal in mind: to get themselves and their 11-year-old daughter far away from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
As the crisis continued on and their finances ran out, they and other Russian emigrants began exploring throughout Turkey for longer-term opportunities.
Those ambitions have taken shape for the Chernousov family in Istanbul’s famous Moda neighbourhood, with the opening of their new bookstore ‘Black Mustache’ – a pun on the literal meaning of their surname.
‘The business is pocket-sized, not big, but we hope it will have a long and happy life,’ Oleg, 33, told Reuters as guests flooded in, mostly other freshly arrived Russians.
Many claim they fled Russia because they were afraid of being jailed for protesting the invasion, which Putin describes as a ‘special military operation.’
They were also concerned about being forced to fight, which has become a reality after the president announced mass conscription.
They chose Turkey as their new home because it is a NATO member that has worked to balance ties with Russia and Ukraine during the conflict.
‘Black Mustache’ sells photography, fashion, and design publications, including several in Russian, albeit shipping prices are exorbitant.
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