Russians in the City – ‘Patriots’ with a Touch of Spleen

The article dwells on post-Soviet migrants’ internet communications in the UK and places them within the context of contemporary Russian Diaspora debates. It argues that digital developments, community building and social capital accumulation were tightly connected to technological developments and changes in migration flows. The changes were indirectly related to shifts within political leadership in both countries and shall be discussed in connec-tion to a specific historical context. The author argues that internet and digital communications played a key role in the coining of a ‘Russian in Britain’ self-identification, but had a little if any impact on the construction of off-line community organisations.