Russians in Turkmenistan are a minority ethnic group, numbering 114,447 as of 2022 census representing 1.62% of the population.
[3] The Turkmen government's decision to cancel a dual-citizenship agreement with Russia in 2003 prompted thousands of ethnic Russians to leave Turkmenistan as they lost their property.
[4] Many of those fleeing "in panic" reportedly feared being trapped in a state which has been widely criticised for human rights abuses and has imposed severe restrictions on foreign travel for its citizens.
[5] For these who remained, estimated at around 100,000, all Soviet-time diplomas, certificates and other official documents that were issued outside the Turkmen SSR were nullified, drastically limiting the people's access to work.
At the same time, universities have been encouraged to reject applicants with non-Turkmen surnames, especially ethnic Russians.