As an American who is married to a Soviet-born Russian and who has many Russian friends I can assure you there can be a very happy life after Russia. Your life belongs to you, not to Russia. You are a World Citizen looking for a civilized and decent place to live and Russia has failed you as a conscientious person.

As has been said below, there is enough shame to go around but this embarrassment you are feeling at this moment is exactly because your homeland has fallen so far below your ideal and its potential. The West WANTS to love Russia. But we can't love a dictator. We want to love the people, the land, the cultural achievements and importantly we want to be loved back. That's the deal and now it's just horrible the hatred that Russia has shown for its own Slavic neighbors it makes us unable to trust Russia. If they can do that to Ukraine, well then who is safe from such viciousness? It sure makes me miss Gorbachev.

I can forgive people who are mercilessly manipulated and brainwashed by the State up to a point but folks like you who think for themselves and act boldly to change circumstances make us understand it is a personal choice to play the dictator's game. You chose not to play and kudos to you. Keep the Good Russia in your heart and work toward liberating the many enslaved minds of Russia. We would welcome them into the family of Humanity and do so with Love but we do have some VERY evil people to get out of the way first. Good luck!