Any Muscovite will tell you that it’s tough to find a place to stay in Russia’s bustling capital. But for ethnic minorities, ingrained racism can make the search almost impossible.
It is illegal for Russian landlords to discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity or nationality. But the city’s property listings tell a different story.
Many advertisements stipulate that any potential tenants must be of Slavic origin. Those behind the listings usually hope to avoid working with tenants from Central Asia or Russia’s southern republics, while others avoid renting to foreigners in general.