Federal Wanted List: Basic Safety Principles

This is a simple and concise guide on how to survive while being on the Federal Wanted List in Russia. This is not about surviving in the woods with a huge backpack (although that would be ideal). Here, we’re talking about surviving in the city.

If You Are Placed on the Federal Wanted List

• Get rid of all mobile phones and SIM cards. Every phone has an IMEI number that can be easily tracked by mobile networks. Your location can be pinpointed within 2-3 meters, and you can be detained instantly if ordered.
• Buy a used phone at a market and get a brand new SIM card for it. Never use a new SIM in an old phone or vice versa; if you do, the numbers will be linked and you’ll be tracked immediately. Alternatively, use phones that allow you to change the IMEI number—these are not hard to find online.
• The next way they’ll try to catch you is by checking your contacts—relatives, friends, and acquaintances. Cut off all contact immediately. Don’t even call, because your friends’ or relatives’ phones may be monitored, and you can be tracked through your new SIM and phone. For the first three months, have NO CONTACT or only use internet telephony (but never Skype!).
• Usually, wanted persons are found through informants. It’s possible that one or more of your acquaintances are such informants. Trust no one. Limit your contacts to the absolute minimum.
• Never reveal your new address or future plans to anyone, not even close relatives.
• Investigators are skilled psychologists. They can easily convince your family that you’ll only get a fine or a suspended sentence if you cooperate, but if you don’t show up, you’ll get real jail time. Out of fear and naive trust, your relatives may give you up. Remember, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

First Months Are the Most Dangerous

Usually, the search is most intense in the first few months. A Wanted Case is opened, and the Criminal Case is suspended. They set up surveillance at your home and your relatives’ homes. After a month, the investigation’s activity drops sharply, and after three months, your case will likely be gathering dust on a shelf—unless you’ve committed a major crime.

You’re most likely to be caught if you do something reckless, like getting drunk and passing out in public. The hardest part is surviving the first month.

Housing and Movement

• Rent an apartment immediately. It’s best to find one through newspaper ads.
• There’s no point in going to a distant relative in another city. In a big city, it’s easier to blend in. In a village, everyone knows each other, and you’ll stand out. Also, investigators will check your relatives’ homes first.
• Don’t rent rooms in dormitories or hostels. They require a passport for check-in, and the staff often report new tenants to the police. The same goes for hotels.
• Private landlords are less likely to report you, especially if the rental contract is less than 11 months (so they don’t have to pay extra taxes or deal with authorities).
• Buy enough groceries for a week or two and stay inside your rental apartment as much as possible.
• During the first month, go outside as rarely as possible and only during the day, never after 10:00 PM. After that time, you risk being stopped by a police patrol.
• You can use the subway (with caution, especially if you have a typical Slavic appearance), since Russian subways don’t yet have facial recognition systems. Still, it’s safer to use above-ground transport.
• Keep a low profile in your apartment—no loud music or parties. You don’t want neighbors calling the police.
• Be polite to neighbors if you run into them. Remember: “Politeness is the best weapon of a thief.”
• It’s best to change apartments every 2-3 months. Tell landlords you’re on a short-term work trip, then move to a new place after a couple of months.

Travel and Transportation

• When you buy a train ticket at any ticket office, your passport data is checked. If you’re wanted, your name will be highlighted on the cashier’s screen. The cashier is instructed to sell you the ticket and quietly notify authorities. When you board, police will be waiting for you.
• If you must travel, use commuter trains (“elektrichkas”). You can reach almost any part of Russia by transferring from one commuter train to another.
• You can also hitchhike or use ride-sharing services, but there’s a higher risk that the car will be stopped at a police checkpoint and your documents checked. This is very rare on commuter trains (for example, only one check in seven years of daily travel).

Long-Term Strategy

After 3-6 months, you can start trying to resolve your criminal case or prepare for emigration and seek asylum.

That’s all. Hopefully, you’ll never need this information. This guide is provided for informational purposes only.