“Those who left the country during a period of turbulence”. How a business daily coaches returning Russians in self‑censorship and rehearsed loyalty

The vocabulary is elaborate.

People did not flee the war in Ukraine or Putin’s “partial mobilisation”—they “left the country during a period of turbulence.” The collapse of Russia’s integration into global markets is “harsh optimisation.” The stigma directed at those who left, stoked by state media and officials, is described as “critical assessments are encountered regarding citizens who left.” Corporate security services running political background checks on job applicants is simply part of the “overall climate of wariness.”

With these ground rules set, Yunusova maps the Russian job market as a hierarchy of hostility toward returnees, sector by sector.

State-affiliated investment banks are the most closed-off. “For a candidate with three years of foreign experience, the chances of securing a leadership position at a state bank are practically nonexistent,” she writes. The key criterion here is “proven faithfulness to company and country.” She notes matter-of-factly that “at the level of government, there are recommendations not to hire relocants at state companies.”

In private equity and family offices, “security services flag prolonged absence as a potential risk during background checks and issue a negative assessment of the candidate.” In venture capital, the most lenient segment, international experience may still count for something, but “all other things being equal, an employer will choose a professional with continuous experience in Russia.”

Across all sectors, Yunusova describes a regime of political vetting that she presents as common-sense HR practice. Companies, she writes, “increasingly analyse their public activity: statements on social media, participation in discussions, and traces of professional activity abroad.” The verdict is brutal: “Sharp anti-Russian statements become an alarm signal capable of excluding a candidate from the selection process.”

The article then pivots to advice. Yunusova instructs returnees to prepare a “clear and positive answer” about why they left and came back. She helpfully supplies sample lines: “I gained invaluable experience at an international company but always planned to apply it at home.” Or: “Family circumstances required my presence abroad, but the situation has changed and I am fully focused on working in Russia.” The candidate must convey that “the return is a conscious decision, not a temporary measure” and “emphasise your motivation to invest in the development of Russian business.” 

Next, scrub the internet. “Before entering the job market, carefully analyse the information about yourself in the public space. If necessary, restrict access to content that could be ambiguously perceived.” She cites a statistic: about 40% of Russian companies review candidates’ social media before hiring.

Finally, accept a step down. “It may make sense to start at a position one step below the one you held abroad, especially if we’re talking about returning to the state or near-state sector.” The recommended career path is to “first get hired at a large private company, demonstrate results there, and only then move to structures with state participation.” She adds: “Considering the current climate, even politicians themselves do not recommend going directly into state service.”

Curiously, Yunusova’s own career after graduating from Samarkand State University in Uzbekistan seems to have been built entirely at Western-headquartered recruitment firms. Her bio at Zarya Ventures (she co-founded the company in 2025) lists over twenty years at Antal International (British), Michael Page (British), and Ward Howell Group (international, headquartered in Germany).