A Sudbury man who calls Russia home right now is trying to leave the country that is forcing war on neighbouring Ukraine, but he is being met with many obstacles.
Dan de Chevigny has been travelling between Russia and Canada since 2019. He and his wife have a baby together, and De Chevigny is stepfather to his Russian wife’s two other children. The family resides in the city of Tyumen.
He did not plan on having to try to make an emergency exit as Russia lays siege to Ukraine. The sanctions put in place against Russia are making it almost impossible for de Chevigny to be able to provide for his family.
Western leaders have frozen the assets of Russia's central bank, limiting its ability to access its dollar reserves.
Further, the US, the EU and UK have also banned people and businesses from dealings with the Russian central bank, its finance ministry and its wealth fund.
Selected Russian banks will also be removed from the Swift messaging system, which enables the smooth transfer of money across borders.
The sanctions are putting an extreme stress on de Chevigny’s finances. He is fearful over the uncertainty of his family’s future.
“I've had to start selling my belongings,” said de Chevigny. “My business is shutting down at the end of the month because I can't pay my lease. Groceries, gas and every other necessity has basically doubled in price.”
Last week, the Canadian embassy issued an email advising all Canadians in Russia should leave the country. However, it is one thing to say leave the country, but it is quite another thing to accomplish, said de Chevigny.
“The embassy has not returned any of my phone calls or provided the necessary assistance,” he said.
“Global Affairs says to call the embassy, and Immigration says they have no guidance for anyone that isn't actually in Ukraine, so they can't help me either.”
Calls to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office have not been returned, either.
Requests for assistance from MPs, MPPs, the Premier's office, and the Prime Minister's office have also fallen on deaf ears, he said, although Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré's office did put in a few calls and provided some guidance, he said.
De Chevigny said he has applied for emergency visas for his wife and two step children, but it will be more than a month before they get them. And even then, the visas will only allow them into Canada on June 1. The visas will allow them to stay in Canada for six months, but that would give de Chevigny time to find a way to keep his family here longer.
With the strict sanctions the world is throwing at Russia, de Chevigny is hoping he can find support through a GoFundMe campaign. The goal has been set at $10,000, but any donations will help him and his family.
He’s not the only one trying to flee Russia at the moment.
“Everyone I know here has taken all of their money from their banks,” he said. “They're also trying to figure out how to leave the country. Some are applying for studies abroad, others for work permits.”
