Abstract

The disintegration of the USSR in 1991 set off unprecedented migration processes across the post-Soviet space, remarkable for their scale and complexity. This multifaceted migration phenomenon, with its various forms and manifestations, highlights the crucial need for an interdisciplinary approach in studying the issue. The novelty and relevance of this work stem from its pioneering attempt to illustrate the dynamics of migration processes in post-Soviet Russia through the application of a broad range of methodologies from different humanities disciplines. This article presents a portion of the findings from a comprehensive study conducted by an interdisciplinary research team at Lomonosov Moscow State University. This team, which includes historians, geographers, psychologists, and lawyers, is part of the university’s development program project, “Interdisciplinary Study of Modern Migrations: New Analytical Approaches”. The authors conduct a comprehensive review of current literature on the geographical, demographic, historical, sociological, and anthropological aspects of migration. They analyze thematic documents from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Federal State Statistics Service, as well as archival materials covering the past 30 years, up to 2022. These sources hold significant academic value for research in the field. The study identifies the phases and intensity of migration dynamics in the Russian Federation and highlights key trends within the context of global and domestic factors, such as the economic crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and shift s in Russia’s current migration legislation. The article also explores the concept of ethnic enclaves and offers a functional, operational, and interdisciplinary definition of this phenomenon. It traces and explains the causal relationships that lead to emerging points and nodes of tension, as well as the potential threats inherent in migration processes and enclave formation. Additionally, the study outlines historically driven changes in the dynamics, types, and demographic structure (gender and age) of migration flows to Russia, influenced by both external and internal developments within the country