“ZHUK” ends direct assistance to politically persecuted Russians
On 11 December, ZHUK — one of the most prominent grassroots initiatives supporting people persecuted in Russia for political reasons — announced it can no longer provide direct assistance. This primarily affects evacuation support, as well as the hands-on, case-by-case help that often accompanied people before, during, and after leaving the country.
The project says its hotline will keep operating until the end of December. In the near future, the team will also publish an open knowledge base compiled over the past years of work.
Why this matters
For people facing political persecution, time is often the critical factor. Risks don’t necessarily end once someone leaves Russia: many continue to face threats tied to extradition attempts, unlawful deportations, harassment, or the long administrative struggle to legalise their status abroad.
ZHUK stressed that its work never “ended at evacuation.” The team has handled long-running cases, including situations involving extradition pressure and attempts to unlawfully remove people from safer countries.
Why ZHUK is stopping direct support
The team says it made the decision collectively. They emphasise this is not an emotional gesture or a rejection of their values — but an attempt to act responsibly and not promise what they cannot deliver at the scale and intensity they maintained over the past three years.
A key constraint has been funding: evacuations were largely financed through private donations and fundraising campaigns, while many institutions and donors were reportedly unwilling to cover evacuation costs. At the same time, demand did not decline. The team also points to exhaustion, security concerns, and the weight of responsibility as factors shaping the decision.
What happens next: an open knowledge base and practical guidance
ZHUK is publishing a guide based on its experience, aimed at people at risk and the initiatives supporting them. The guide is structured into four sections:
They also ask supporters to fill out a feedback form to help improve the materials.
Why this is relevant for LGBTQ+ people, too
For LGBTQ+ people from Russia, political pressure can overlap with vulnerability tied to sexual orientation and gender identity — from targeted harassment and threats to the growing risks of prosecution under “extremism” narratives. When a major evacuation-focused initiative closes direct operations, there are simply fewer entry points into urgent help. That makes reliable contacts, specialised counselling, and community support even more important.
Below is a short, non-exhaustive list of organisations people can turn to (ZHUK’s knowledge base contains a larger directory).
Where to seek help: a short list
LGBTQ+ and queer migration support
How to support now
ZHUK asks supporters to redirect recurring donations and other resources to organisations that continue evacuation, legal, psychological, and humanitarian assistance work. If you’re able to support human-rights infrastructure long-term, consider choosing one or two initiatives and donating regularly — stability is often what keeps urgent response systems alive.
The project says its hotline will keep operating until the end of December. In the near future, the team will also publish an open knowledge base compiled over the past years of work.
Why this matters
For people facing political persecution, time is often the critical factor. Risks don’t necessarily end once someone leaves Russia: many continue to face threats tied to extradition attempts, unlawful deportations, harassment, or the long administrative struggle to legalise their status abroad.
ZHUK stressed that its work never “ended at evacuation.” The team has handled long-running cases, including situations involving extradition pressure and attempts to unlawfully remove people from safer countries.
Why ZHUK is stopping direct support
The team says it made the decision collectively. They emphasise this is not an emotional gesture or a rejection of their values — but an attempt to act responsibly and not promise what they cannot deliver at the scale and intensity they maintained over the past three years.
A key constraint has been funding: evacuations were largely financed through private donations and fundraising campaigns, while many institutions and donors were reportedly unwilling to cover evacuation costs. At the same time, demand did not decline. The team also points to exhaustion, security concerns, and the weight of responsibility as factors shaping the decision.
What happens next: an open knowledge base and practical guidance
ZHUK is publishing a guide based on its experience, aimed at people at risk and the initiatives supporting them. The guide is structured into four sections:
- How to prepare to leave
- How to leave
- What to do after leaving
- How to legalise your status in the EU
They also ask supporters to fill out a feedback form to help improve the materials.
Why this is relevant for LGBTQ+ people, too
For LGBTQ+ people from Russia, political pressure can overlap with vulnerability tied to sexual orientation and gender identity — from targeted harassment and threats to the growing risks of prosecution under “extremism” narratives. When a major evacuation-focused initiative closes direct operations, there are simply fewer entry points into urgent help. That makes reliable contacts, specialised counselling, and community support even more important.
Below is a short, non-exhaustive list of organisations people can turn to (ZHUK’s knowledge base contains a larger directory).
Where to seek help: a short list
LGBTQ+ and queer migration support
- EQUAL PostOst — counselling for queer migration
- Translyaciya — support for trans and non-binary people on emigration-related questions
- SK SOS — support in cases of threats (including in the North Caucasus)
- OVD-Info — legal and human-rights support for politically motivated cases (including anti-war prosecution)
- Department One (Pervy Otdel) — advice for high-risk cases, including “treason”-related charges
- Net Freedoms Project — support around freedom of expression cases
- Memorial / Political Prisoners Support — including contacts relevant to cases framed as “LGBT extremism” (via their channels)
- Na Svyazi — a Telegram-based helpdesk offering basic digital security support
How to support now
ZHUK asks supporters to redirect recurring donations and other resources to organisations that continue evacuation, legal, psychological, and humanitarian assistance work. If you’re able to support human-rights infrastructure long-term, consider choosing one or two initiatives and donating regularly — stability is often what keeps urgent response systems alive.
ZHUK website: https://www.zhuk.world/
Knowledge base / guide (Notion link shared by ZHUK):
https://caring-crime-fd1.notion.site/2ae3fffc092b80819527e548d7246a92?source=copy_link
Knowledge base / guide (Notion link shared by ZHUK):
https://caring-crime-fd1.notion.site/2ae3fffc092b80819527e548d7246a92?source=copy_link
- EQUAL PostOst: https://equal-postost.org/
- Translyaciya (emigration page): https://translyaciya.com/emigration#rec1253795841
- SK SOS: https://sksos.org/
- OVD-Info (bot): https://t.me/ovdinfobot
- Department One (Pervy Otdel): https://t.me/deptone
- Net Freedoms Project: https://t.me/NetFreedomsProject
- Memorial / Political Prisoners Support (channel post): https://t.me/pzk_memorial/5942
- Na Svyazi (digital security bot): https://t.me/Na_svyazi_helpdesk_bot