A deeply personal account of the author's years-long struggle to renounce his Russian citizenship, a decision propelled by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and his evolving identity as a British citizen.
The author details his arduous journey to renounce his Russian citizenship, a process spanning years and culminating in January 2026. Born in Russia to Ukrainian parents, his life unfolded across various countries, including the US, UK, Mongolia, and China, fostering a global outlook and a nuanced sense of identity. While initially politically disengaged, the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 became a profound turning point, igniting a sense of guilt and collective responsibility. Despite having acquired British citizenship in 2020, he recognized the untenable position of dual loyalty amidst Russia's aggression. The article describes the bureaucratic nightmare of collecting necessary documents from Russia, a perilous undertaking given his public criticism of the regime. He delves into philosophical reflections on guilt and responsibility, comparing his parents' Soviet-era patriotism with his own journey of self-definition. Viewing the renunciation as a 'liberation' rather than the 'treason' his parents perceived, he recounts the emotional moment of receiving his renunciation certificate while in Kyiv, solidifying his break from a political community he found increasingly alien.
