Last weekend, Aleksey (not his real name) celebrated turning 33 in Moscow's Hermitage Garden - a small and cosy city park in the centre of the Russian capital.
During the picnic-style gathering, he finally met the friends he hadn't seen for almost two years.
Since September 2022, when Russia announced mobilisation for its war in Ukraine, Aleksey and his girlfriend Sasha (not her real name) - until recently - had been living in Argentina.
The couple, both in film production, had plans to relocate from Argentina to the US, where Sasha's mother has lived for almost 15 years, but couldn't find a legal way to obtain an American visa. The US Embassy in Buenos Aires declined the application due to a lack of necessary material assets and travel experience.
So, eventually, the pair returned to Moscow.
Before the Ukraine war, life was good for the couple.
Aleksey had years of industry experience and, while work consumed all of his time, it paid well, and he enjoyed it. In Argentina, he struggled to get jobs - the market was smaller, there were fewer opportunities, and he spoke limited Spanish. The pay was also barely enough to support him, let alone Sasha, and within months he'd spent nearly all of his savings.
The couple also faced problems with their paperwork and starting over soon felt insurmountable.
Back in Russia, all of Aleksey's ex-colleagues were continuing to work, evolve, and undertake new projects. So, after losing their last hope of starting a new chapter in America, the couple decided to return home to Russia in May - just short of 18 months after they left.
Securing a one-way ticket to Moscow gave Aleksey a feeling of relief and happiness. Even though it meant going back to the country he had fled, there was comfort in the familiar and the ability to make a proper living.
"A friend of mine in Argentina kept warning me that, as soon as I arrived in Russia, I would be immediately handcuffed," Aleksey told Byline Times.
"So, you arrive at the airport after hearing all these stories, and what happens? A smiling border guard routinely checks passports. A security officer practically escorts us to the car-sharing parking lot. What I'm trying to say is that the media really exaggerates and stirs up the situation."
Vladimir Putin's full invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 upended the lives of millions of people - in both countries - and further isolated Russia from the West, presenting new economic and political challenges, and promoting a cultural revolution.
The last vestiges of freedom have been sealed off for good in Russia, with all mainstream narratives shifting to a conservative, nationalistic agenda.
The way people publicly express themselves, the way they talk, and even the way they dress - everything must conform to the new war-torn Russian reality. The Almost Naked Party is a prime example of this shift. The already sceptical attitude towards Western countries has become openly hostile.
Sociologist Elena Koneva, who has been tracking public sentiment in Russia since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, categorises the returnees as "opponents of the war", but notes that they are also likely to belong to the group of "silent" individuals - those who conceal their stance on the conflict, avoid questions, and refrain from active participation in public life, openDemocracy reported last July.
According to Koneva, there has been an "adaptation to personal risks", with people beginning to hope that the war will not affect them personally.
Putin Called on the Public - And the Public Fled
Russia's failed invasion of Ukraine prompted the announcement of a mobilisation some seven months later, igniting one of the largest waves of emigration from Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
In October 2022, Forbes reported that approximately 700,000 people fled in the wake of Putin's rallying call, with many enduring lengthy waits at airports and border crossings.
Determining the exact number of permanent dep...