Fifth Wave is a photography project of environmental portraits of Russian immigrants who left the country since Vladimir Putin came to power. Including a short text to accompany each of the subjects, the project covers stories of immigrants who fled for political and social freedom. Unlike some other recent waves of immigration, the fifth wave represents a new type of immigrant: young, educated, and with no post-Soviet nostalgia. They include a growing number of LGBTQI refugees who were exposed to discrimination and life-threatening conditions under Putin’s regime.

According to a report from the Atlantic Council, 1.6 to 2 million Russians have left for the western democracies since Vladimir Putin’s ascent to the presidency . This work gives participants a chance to talk openly about what remained for many years hidden. The participants include 14 people. They were photographed in their home space and environment. Subjects’ home space was deliberately chosen as the best way of making the subjects feel comfortable in front of the camera and share their stories in a form of interviews.