MOSCOW, 26 Mar. The German city of Baden-Baden, which has been a magnet for Russians for more than 200 years, is facing a turning point, according to an article in the Schwaebische Zeitung newspaper. as always», but in fact there is now nothing like what it used to be. «It's all over. The Russians won't come anymore,» says Valentina Yushina, deputy chairman of the city's German-Russian cultural society.
The absence of Russians means for Baden-Baden, which has been a magnet for them for more than two hundred years, » a turning point». The conflict in Ukraine and subsequent sanctions have led to a «total collapse», the death of restaurants, hotels and numerous luxury boutiques, instead, more Ukrainian refugees arrive there than in any other city in the southwest of Germany.
According to the newspaper, most wealthy Russians have already sold their property here, several planes were confiscated at the local airport due to sanctions, and, for example, Russian conductor Valery Gergiev had to stop working with the local concert hall.
Yushina, who moved to Baden -Württemberg 30 years ago, said that «the city flourished, everyone was obsessed with Russians.» Jewelers opened their shops, brokers had a «fabulous» business. «It's beautiful, nice and cozy here,» she added. At the same time, this comfort, as the Schwaebische Zeitung notes, “has suffered recently.”
Western countries have stepped up sanctions pressure on Russia due to a special operation in Ukraine, in addition, an unprecedented level of Russophobia has been recorded in a number of foreign countries. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, acts of aggression against Russians and Russian-speaking citizens affect Russian students, athletes, cultural and art workers.