Russian Tourists USAGM
Metadata
- Russian Tourists USAGM
- March 21, 2022
- Content Type Package
- Language English
- Transcript/Script USAGM SHARE ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: TV - RUSSIAN-TOURISTS HEAD: Sanctions Overs Ukraine Invasion Strand Russian Tourists Abroad TEASER: PUBLISHED AT: 03/21/2022 at 9:45 BYLINE: VOA News (We are not using the name of the reporter Genia Dulot for security reasons) CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: Maldives VIDEOGRAPHER: VOA News (Genia Dulot, but we are not using her name for security reasons) VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA PLATFORMS: (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __ SCRIPT EDITORS: Mia Bush, cobus, Sharon Shahid TRT: 4:00 VID APPROVED BY: MAS UPDATE:)) ((INTRO)) [[After Russia invaded Ukraine last month, Moscow and its leader were hit by broad sanctions that affected the country’s economy, technology and transportation sectors. Russian air carrier Aeroflot suspended international flights, and Visa and Mastercard suspended transactions with Russian banks, leaving some Russian tourists stranded abroad. VOA News has the story from the Maldives.]] ((NARRATION)) Scuba diving instructor Tamara Taratorina of St. Petersburg, Russia, turned her passion for travel into a business five years ago. She organizes tours to spots around the world — places such as Egypt, the Maldives, Mexico — for diving enthusiasts. Her business survived the COVID-19 pandemic. But Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine has left Taratorina and a group of Russian tourists stranded in the Maldives. After the invasion, international sanctions leveled against Moscow led Russian air carrier Aeroflot to suspend its international flights, fearing its planes could be seized abroad. ((Radio: Tamara Taratorina is the owner of travel business Dive Together...)) ((Tamara Taratorina, Dive Together Owner)) “All tourists right now are not waiting for the Aeroflot to reschedule their flights. They are buying new tickets with non-Russian air carriers, and it is not cheap. Aeroflot promised to refund the cost of unused portions of the ticket, but those amounts are very small compared to what people have to pay now in order to get new tickets and return home.” ((NARRATION)) Also affecting Russian tourists: their credit cards. Mastercard and Visa have stopped servicing Russian banks, leaving Russians abroad financially strapped. And any cash they brought with them is worth less now that the sanctions have sent the value of Russia’s ruble into a free-fall. While Russian tourists also don't know if they will be able to afford international travel any time soon, they're certain that sanctions will dramatically affect their personal lives. ((Radio: Alena Glukhova is a tourist from Russia...)) ((Alena Glukhova, Russian Tourist)) “I literally feel how the actions of my government affect my pocket. And until every Russian person will feel it, nothing is going to change. It is only a human thing to care about yourself. And now, the situation affects me directly because international companies limited all supply to Russia.” ((NARRATION)) When asked if they are watching how the war is being covered on Russian TV, most said they were not watching and that they get most of their news from the internet and social media. Some of the Russian tourists believe the invasion of Ukraine is a means to help Russians, largely inhabiting the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, to stand up for their national identity. The region, partly controlled by pro-Russian separatists since 2014, is a major point of contention between Ukraine and Russia, which last month recognized the Donetsk and Luhansk enclaves as independent republics. Andrey Nikulin, who said he reads multiple online sources for his information, said he believes the reason for the conflict in Ukraine's is “genocide” of Russian people there, which Ukrainians and an overwhelmingly vast number of Westerners describe as a talking point of Russian propaganda. ((Andrey Nikulin, Russian Tourist)) “People have been waiting for eight years for Russia to help them. At that time, we couldn’t intervene. But now, if it weren’t for Russia coming, the genocide against Russians in Ukraine would have gotten even worse.” Despite the differing political views of these Russian tourists, they all agreed that the war is a tragedy, and the killing of civilians should be avoided at all costs. ((Radio: Olga Kalabukhova is a tourist from Russia...)) ((Olga Kalabukhova, Russian Tourist)) “I’ve been looking at all this with tears. Me personally, I am half Russian, half Ukrainian, and I can’t pick a side. You realize that it is all politics. The war is manipulated between two brother nations. It will end one day, but trauma will stay. … We need to get through this and need to stay humans — on both sides.” ((OC.... on both sides)) ((dissolve to anchor for on camera tag)) That was VOA reporting from Maldives
- NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
- Network VOA
- Embargo Date March 21, 2022 10:02 EDT
- Description English USAGM SHARE ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: TV - RUSSIAN-TOURISTS HEAD: Sanctions Overs Ukraine Invasion Strand Russian Tourists Abroad TEASER: PUBLISHED AT: 03/21/2022 at 9:45 BYLINE: VOA News (We are not using the name of the reporter Genia Dulot for security reasons) CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: Maldives VIDEOGRAPHER: VOA News (Genia Dulot, but we are not using her name for security reasons) VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA PLATFORMS: (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __ SCRIPT EDITORS: Mia Bush, cobus, Sharon Shahid TRT: 4:00 VID APPROVED BY: MAS UPDATE:)) ((INTRO)) [[After Russia invaded Ukraine last month, Moscow and its leader were hit by broad sanctions that affected the country’s economy, technology and transportation sectors. Russian air carrier Aeroflot suspended international flights, and Visa and Mastercard suspended transactions with Russian banks, leaving some Russian tourists stranded abroad. VOA News has the story from the Maldives.]] ((NARRATION)) Scuba diving instructor Tamara Taratorina of St. Petersburg, Russia, turned her passion for travel into a business five years ago. She organizes tours to spots around the world — places such as Egypt, the Maldives, Mexico — for diving enthusiasts. Her business survived the COVID-19 pandemic. But Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine has left Taratorina and a group of Russian tourists stranded in the Maldives. After the invasion, international sanctions leveled against Moscow led Russian air carrier Aeroflot to suspend its international flights, fearing its planes could be seized abroad. ((Radio: Tamara Taratorina is the owner of travel business Dive Together...)) ((Tamara Taratorina, Dive Together Owner)) “All tourists right now are not waiting for the Aeroflot to reschedule their flights. They are buying new tickets with non-Russian air carriers, and it is not cheap. Aeroflot promised to refund the cost of unused portions of the ticket, but those amounts are very small compared to what people have to pay now in order to get new tickets and return home.” ((NARRATION)) Also affecting Russian tourists: their credit cards. Mastercard and Visa have stopped servicing Russian banks, leaving Russians abroad financially strapped. And any cash they brought with them is worth less now that the sanctions have sent the value of Russia’s ruble into a free-fall. While Russian tourists also don't know if they will be able to afford international travel any time soon, they're certain that sanctions will dramatically affect their personal lives. ((Radio: Alena Glukhova is a tourist from Russia...)) ((Alena Glukhova, Russian Tourist)) “I literally feel how the actions of my government affect my pocket. And until every Russian person will feel it, nothing is going to change. It is only a human thing to care about yourself. And now, the situation affects me directly because international companies limited all supply to Russia.” ((NARRATION)) When asked if they are watching how the war is being covered on Russian TV, most said they were not watching and that they get most of their news from the internet and social media. Some of the Russian tourists believe the invasion of Ukraine is a means to help Russians, largely inhabiting the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, to stand up for their national identity. The region, partly controlled by pro-Russian separatists since 2014, is a major point of contention between Ukraine and Russia, which last month recognized the Donetsk and Luhansk enclaves as independent republics. Andrey Nikulin, who said he reads multiple online sources for his information, said he believes the reason for the conflict in Ukraine's is “genocide” of Russian people there, which Ukrainians and an overwhelmingly vast number of Westerners describe as a talking point of Russian propaganda. ((Andrey Nikulin, Russian Tourist)) “People have been waiting for eight years for Russia to help them. At that time, we couldn’t intervene. But now, if it weren’t for Russia coming, the genocide against Russians in Ukraine would have gotten even worse.” Despite the differing political views of these Russian tourists, they all agreed that the war is a tragedy, and the killing of civilians should be avoided at all costs. ((Radio: Olga Kalabukhova is a tourist from Russia...)) ((Olga Kalabukhova, Russian Tourist)) “I’ve been looking at all this with tears. Me personally, I am half Russian, half Ukrainian, and I can’t pick a side. You realize that it is all politics. The war is manipulated between two brother nations. It will end one day, but trauma will stay. … We need to get through this and need to stay humans — on both sides.” ((OC.... on both sides)) ((dissolve to anchor for on camera tag)) That was VOA reporting from Maldives
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America