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‘I can't feed my family’: Migrant workers in Russia hit hard by Ukraine war

With many Central Asian states reliant on cash sent back home from those working abroad in Russia, sanctions are having devastating effects

‘I can't feed my family’: Migrant workers in Russia hit hard by Ukraine war
Migrant workers from Central Asia - (c) Nikolay Vinokurov / Alamy Stock Photo. All rights reserved
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Daniyar’s working day starts at 5am. Every day, he delivers fresh bread to Moscow supermarkets. He gets up before sunrise, even on weekends and holidays.

“I get up at four. At five, I’m already at the warehouse. We have a defined route and we deliver the goods among retail outlets until midday. After 12, the shops don’t accept the bread. If you don’t have time to deliver everything, you can take it home,” he says.

Daniyar left Kyrgyzstan in October 2021. Finding a job in Russia was the best way for him to earn decent money and provide his family with a straightforward life. His wife and children are at home in Kyrgyzstan.