I sat fand watched a news piece....Russian officials in a significant city (not Moscow)....had rounded up all of the legal/illegal migrants working in the city. They gave the number of 500. The legal guys had papers, but it didn't matter....they were being told that they were now 'qualified' to be Russian soldiers, and would be sent to a boot-camp....then onto Ukraine.
I'm guessing it's a act that will take place across Russia in the weeks to come.
How many illegals or migrants-with-papers exist? Back before the war, the number was generally assumed to be a minimum of 400,000 to 7-million....depending on the 'season' and work activity.
Do I trust the number? No....it's simply a best guess by the Russians themselves.
Once this gets out....will the migrant-workers remain? I'm of the mind that the vast majority see the 'end' of their work-routine, and will find ways to exit the country as soon as possible.
So what are the consequences if 400,000 workers leave? I'd suggest a fair number of renovation/construction projects will just stop entirely. The average Russian won't see this as a problem, but if you were heading up some massive renovation project....it's now probably collapsed and will just linger until Putin dies or the war ends.
I'd also go and suggest that a fair number of the 400k were doing agricultural work, and their lack of presence....will present issues in getting products to the grocery stores...probably even starting in six weeks. You needed people to run hen-houses, pluck fruit, and pick tomato's. This will get to the vision of an average Russian.
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