Orlova, A., Varshaver, E., Ivanova, N. (2026). Russian Ethnoburbs? The Role of Migrant Residential Concentration Areas  in the Spatial Trajectories of Migrants in Million-Plus Cities, 35(2), 126–150. [in Russian]

There is a heightened focus in Russia on issues related to the emergence of “migrant districts” in Russian cities. Although there are studies devoted to the formation of residential concentration areas and topics that touch upon the specifics of migrants’ lives in such places, the question of the role of these areas in migrants’ residential trajectories remains unexplored. Based on data collected through a survey on social networks using hyper-local targeting techniques, which allow people actually residing in specific districts to complete the questionnaire, this article describes the residential trajectories of migrants in Russian million-plus cities. By analyzing the characteristics of migrants with different trajectories, the article addresses the question of what these places are for migrants in reality: gateways into the city, through which migrants later disperse to other districts; long-term intergenerational places of residence; or something else. According to the results, most migrants do not live in residential concentration areas. However, the migrants who do live in such districts may move there after living in other districts. Migrants residing in residential concentration areas do not differ from residents of other districts in Russian language proficiency, social environment, educational level, or occupational positions; however, despite lower income, they paradoxically acquire real estate more often. The authors propose considering residential concentration areas “ethnoburbs”; places where migrants arrive with families and the intention to stay in Russia long term, deriving a number of residential advantages, such as the presence of migrant infrastructure and social ties. Residential concentration areas tend to attract male migrants, educated migrants, and those fluent in Russian, which prevents these places from being regarded as poverty enclaves attracting migrants from lower social strata. Given the limitations associated with targeting respondents via social networks, discussed in detail in the article, the findings can serve as a pilot study of the role of residential concentration areas in migrants’ residential trajectories in Russia.