Yerevan has seen a surge in Russians seeking apartments ahead of Moscow's parliamentary elections in September and amid rumours of mass mobilisation, Russian-language publication Verstka has reported, citing anecdotal evidence from local estate agents.
One estate agent told Verstka that rental prices in the Armenian capital had risen by almost a third over the past three months, attributing the increase to demand from an influx of Russians looking to relocate to the city.
No official rental index exists in Armenia to independently verify the reported increases.
Anecdotal evidence of growing interest among Russians in moving to Yerevan comes as some analysts believe the Kremlin is preparing for mass mobilisation to support the war in Ukraine.
In an assessment published last week, the Washington-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), said Russian authorities appeared to be “setting conditions for potential mobilisation” and were “preparing for possible civil unrest in Russia resulting from mobilisation.”
Moscow’s mobilisation of 300,000 reservists in September 2022 triggered protests and an exodus of military-age men.
According to Google Trends search data, the volume of Russian-language searches for ‘apartments in Yerevan’ ("квартиры в Ереване") made within Russia during summer 2026 is comparable with the level recorded around the time of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Armenia became a popular destination for Russian émigrés at the start of the war because Russians could enter the country without a visa and remain for extended periods.
On Meters in Drams, a Russian-language Telegram channel devoted to property in Yerevan, a user advertising an online information session about relocating from Russia to Armenia said Moscow appeared to be on the cusp of a “third wave of relocation/emigration to Armenia” in a post published on Wednesday.
In an earlier message on 24 July, the same user advised group members to renew their rental contracts to avoid eviction or rent increases because of rumours of an autumn mobilisation coinciding with Russia’s parliamentary elections.
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