In a recent episode of the podcast 'On Point,' Irina Scherbakova, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and co-founder of the Russian human rights organization Memorial, discussed the catastrophic impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Scherbakova expressed her horror at the events and remarked that from the moment of the invasion, it became clear that life in Russia would never return to what it was before. Since then, she has left Moscow and now lives in exile in Berlin.

Scherbakova estimates that in the past few years, hundreds of thousands of Russians have fled the country, prompted by the desire to avoid military service or dissent against Putin's policies. She described this exodus as the largest political migration since the October Revolution, highlighting a significant shift in the Russian populace's response to government oppression. The veteran activist lamented the transformation of Russia under Putin into an aggressive dictatorship but remained hopeful that his regime would eventually come to an end.

The discussion also touched on the broader implications of Putin's narrative-building efforts, where Scherbakova criticized the attempts to construct a fabricated history that aligns with the regime's ambitions. The conversation serves as a clarion call for awareness and action against the oppressive measures being taken by the Russian government, emphasizing the need for support for those fleeing persecution and the importance of remembering the past amid the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.