Editing Anti-Russian sentiment (section)

===2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine===
[[File:We Stand with Ukraine 2022 Helsinki - Finland (51905397311).jpg|thumb|[[Protests against the Russian invasion of Ukraine|Protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine]] in Helsinki, Finland, 26 February 2022]]
There was a sharp uptick in manifestations of anti-Russian sentiment after the beginning of the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]];<ref>{{cite news|last=Beardsworth|first=James|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/03/04/russians-abroad-blamed-for-a-regime-they-sought-to-escape-a76762|title=Russians Abroad: Blamed for a Regime They Sought to Escape|work=[[The Moscow Times]]|date=4 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306231213/https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/03/04/russians-abroad-blamed-for-a-regime-they-sought-to-escape-a76762 |archive-date=6 March 2022}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Floudas|first=Demetrius A.|date=14 March 2022|title=Ukraine-Russia conflict: 'Forced to take sides?' Interview|work=BBC TV|type=Video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpPXnOLz87E |url-status=live |access-date=15 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220315154725/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpPXnOLz87E |archive-date=15 March 2022}}</ref> following the start of the invasion, anti-Russian sentiment soared across the Western world.<ref name="gmfus.org" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Floudas|first=Demetrius A.|date=8 March 2022|title=Ukraine War: Russians in Britain are facing some difficult choices|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-60664159#selection-963.0-963.52 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220309224343/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-60664159#selection-963.0-963.52 |archive-date=9 March 2022 |access-date=11 March 2022|website=BBC News|type=Interview}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Russophobia in US nears Cold War levels, 80% see Russia as enemy: Poll|url=https://www.wionews.com/world/russophobia-in-us-nears-cold-war-levels-80-see-russia-as-enemy-poll-456748 |access-date=10 March 2022|website=[[WION]]|date=26 February 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Russian-owned businesses in US face discrimination, vandalism over Ukraine invasion|url=https://www.fox6now.com/news/russian-owned-businesses-in-us-face-discrimination-vandalism-over-ukraine-invasion.amp |access-date=14 March 2022|website=Fox 6 News Milwaukee}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Lourgos|first=Angie Leventis|title=Russian Tea Time restaurant in downtown Chicago was founded by Ukrainians. Now it faces misplaced backlash.|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-russian-tea-time-ukraine-20220310-bzsgsu4stjhqrpmq77oqmq4af4-story.html |access-date=14 March 2022|website=Chicago Tribune|date=10 March 2022 }}</ref> Since the invasion commenced, ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking immigrants from [[post-Soviet states]] are globally reporting rising instances of open hostility and discrimination towards them.<ref name="wapo2022hostility">{{cite news|title=As Ukraine war intensifies, some Russian speakers far from Moscow are feeling hostility|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/03/03/anti-russian-sentiment-us/|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=3 March 2022}}</ref><ref name="wapo2022childrenenemies">{{Cite news|title=Anti-Russian hate in Europe is making chefs and school children out to be enemies|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/07/antirussian-hate-putin-europe/ |access-date=28 March 2022|issn=0190-8286}}</ref>  This hostility is not just towards Russian people; it has also been seen directed towards businesses as well.<ref>{{cite news|last=Matusek|first=Sarah|title=Russian Americans face misdirected blame for war in Ukraine|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2022/0310/Russian-Americans-face-misdirected-blame-for-war-in-Ukraine|work=[[The Christian Science Monitor|The Monitor]]|date=10 March 2022}}</ref>

Several EU countries, such as Finland, Poland, the Czech Republic and the Baltic states, have suspended granting visas to Russian citizens,<ref>{{cite news |title=EU split on visa ban for Russians |url=https://www.dw.com/en/eu-split-on-visa-ban-for-russians/a-62964726 |work=Deutsche Welle |date=29 August 2022}}</ref> complicating their [[Russian emigration during the Russian invasion of Ukraine|emigration from Russia]].<ref>{{cite web|date=5 March 2022|title='Scared to stay': Why some rushed to leave Russia after war|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/5/scared-to-stay-why-some-rushed-to-leave-russia-after-war|author-last=|author-first=|access-date=9 April 2022|work=Al Jazeera|archive-date=9 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220409121702/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/5/scared-to-stay-why-some-rushed-to-leave-russia-after-war|url-status=live}}</ref> According to the EU directive from 2022, member states should not accept visa applications from Russians in a third country.<ref>{{cite news |last=Foltynova |first=Kristyna |date=13 October 2022 |title=Closing Doors: How Europe Is Restricting Russians From Traveling |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-european-union-visas-travel-ukraine-invasion/32080584.html}}</ref>

A "pervasive climate of distrust" towards Russian passport holders in Europe and rejections of [[bank account]] applications because of nationality were reported.<ref name="reuters22ruistoxic">{{cite web|last1=Ridley|first1=Kirstin|author2=Neghaiwi, Brenna Hughes|author3=Kaye, Danielle|title=Sanctioned or not, Russians abroad find their money is 'toxic'|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/sanctioned-or-not-russians-abroad-find-their-money-is-toxic-2022-03-30/|website=Reuters |access-date=14 June 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220330122624/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/sanctioned-or-not-russians-abroad-find-their-money-is-toxic-2022-03-30/ |archive-date=30 March 2022|date=30 March 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> 
United Kingdom limited how much Russian nationals are allowed to save on bank accounts. The banking industry considered the restriction to violate UK equality laws, which forbid discrimination by nationality.<ref name="tg22bottarodepositsban">{{cite web|last1=Bottaro|first1=Guilia |title=Ban on Russian bank deposits over £50,000 is illegal, warn finance chiefs|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/03/31/ban-russian-bank-deposits-50000-illegal-warn-finance-chiefs/|website=The Telegraph |access-date=14 June 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220401000651/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/03/31/ban-russian-bank-deposits-50000-illegal-warn-finance-chiefs/ |archive-date=1 April 2022|date=31 March 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>
[[Leonid Gozman]] called European restrictions discriminatory and said that they harmed dissidents who were forced to leave Russia, leaving them without means to survive.<ref name="fp22gozmanrestrictions">{{cite web|last1=Gozman|first1=Leonid |author1-link=Leonid Gozman|title=Sanctions Should Punish Putin, Not His Opponents|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/05/23/russia-sanctions-dissidents/|website=Foreign Policy |access-date=14 June 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220523161624/https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/05/23/russia-sanctions-dissidents/ |archive-date=23 May 2022|date=23 May 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Outrage was caused by pro-war demonstrations held in Athens, Berlin, Dublin, Hanover, Frankfurt and Limassol, consisting of "vehicles emblazoned with the pro-war [[Z (military symbol)|Z symbol]] and marches attended by hundreds of flag-waving nationalists". Experts surveyed by ''[[The Times]]'' said that the rallies were likely coordinated by the Kremlin via the soft power [[Rossotrudnichestvo]] agency, stressing that a "bottom-up element" of support for Russia also exists.<ref name="times22eudemos">{{cite web|last1=Parker|first1=Charlie|title=Kremlin 'is behind pro-Russian protests in Europe'|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/russia-ukraine-war/article/kremlin-is-behind-pro-russian-protests-in-europe-9gj27s8g5|website=The Times |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220416142613/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/kremlin-is-behind-pro-russian-protests-in-europe-9gj27s8g5 |archive-date=16 April 2022|date=14 April 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>

By 2023, the most negative perception of Russia was in Ukraine (net negative 79%), followed by Portugal with 69%, Japan with 68%, and Poland with 68%, according to the 2023 Democracy Perception Index.<ref name="DPI 2023">{{cite web |title=Global democracy poll: Western support for Ukraine holds, but democracy at home is under pressure |agency=[[Alliance of Democracies]] |date=10 May 2023 |url=https://www.allianceofdemocracies.org/initiatives/the-copenhagen-democracy-summit/dpi-2023/ |access-date=13 April 2024 |archive-date=9 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209192303/https://www.allianceofdemocracies.org/initiatives/the-copenhagen-democracy-summit/dpi-2023/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 6 February 2025, Czech President [[Petr Pavel]] signed a bill that prohibits Russian nationals from obtaining Czech citizenship, <ref name="united24media-czech"/> even if they have lived in the [[Czech Republic]] for a long time, which critics say is discriminatory and contrary to [[European values]]. Some European countries, such as the [[Netherlands]], have taken the exact opposite step due to the war in Ukraine, allowing Russians living in the Netherlands to obtain Dutch citizenship without having to travel to Russia and renounce their Russian citizenship.<ref name="balkaninsight-czech"/>