March 3, 2026

There is neither panic nor emotional outbursts. My reflection generates a feeling of fatigue. We talked to Russians in the Emirates

The number of Russian-speaking diaspora in the UAE is in the hundreds of thousands. Many of these people left Russia due to the start of the war. But today, the lights of rockets being intercepted by air defense are visible in the sky over the Emirates. Footage of air defense operations is being published by tourists and residents of the UAE on Instagram – usually, these videos follow posts with beautiful views of the city, which just a few days ago was the most peaceful tourist and business center in the world. Many landmark places in the Emirates were hit by shelling – for example, the Burj Al Arab hotel on the Palm Islands, the airport. "Novaya Gazeta Europe" spoke with Russians who are currently in the UAE. A column of black smoke rises over the industrial zone of Sharjah after reports of Iranian strikes on facilities in the UAE, March 1, 2026. Photo: Altaf Qadri / AP Photo / Scanpix / LETA. Oksana I am from Moscow, but I have been living in Yerevan for the last three years. We came to Dubai with my nine-year-old child for a two-week vacation. We visit Dubai periodically – either on vacation or for work. I work in an international company in the marketing department, and I have various business events, including in the UAE. We were supposed to fly back to Yerevan on March 1st. I consider Dubai one of the safest, most interesting, and pleasant cities, so we visit it regularly, know it well, and, in a sense, consider it our second or third home after Yerevan. On February 28, a Saturday, we were at the beach. It was our last day before departure, and we knew nothing – we were just having a good time with my child until friends started writing: "How are you? Is everything okay with you?" I realized that I should read the news, and I saw that the US had launched an operation against Iran. But nothing on the beach indicated it: there were many people, a normal day. We lay on the beach calmly and by evening began to pack up to go home. But we read the news and realized that the airspace was closing and that, most likely, we wouldn't fly anywhere tomorrow. First, I wrote to the apartments where we live, asking to extend our stay. We traveled independently: without a tour operator, we bought tickets ourselves, booked accommodation on Booking ourselves. I extended the apartments at my own expense and started inquiring with FlyDubai about our prospects. They informed us that the flight would likely be canceled and they would write about further actions later. I don't feel like I'm "on suitcases" or that "we'll fly out tomorrow": I already understand that we'll be here for at least a week. Most likely, there will first be evacuation flights to Moscow and other major destinations, and I don't think Yerevan will be the first. We hope to fly out closer to the weekend. Emirates airline planes at the closed Dubai International Airport, UAE, March 1, 2026. Photo: Altaf Qadri / AP Photo / Scanpix / LETA. In the evening on Saturday, the pops became more active, there was more alarming news, but Dubai itself was absolutely calm: there was nothing that looked like "something is wrong." We even went to a cafe near home: to drink a smoothie, to look at the Burj Khalifa. We live in the Burj Khalifa area, and everything was calm there, no pops were heard. " However, in local chats, there were many messages about how difficult things were in other areas: it was already known that there were some rocket debris on the Palm, something fell in other areas of Dubai, air defense was working, and this made noise, especially in the coastal areas where there is more open space. I personally saw nothing: no explosions, no consequences. The most unpleasant thing for me is that I am here with a child, and I would not want him to be scared. But he is not scared, because, thank God, we live in a very quiet area. If we talk about the authorities and the general feeling: everyone who lives in Dubai is reacting very calmly. Only after a day, now, perhaps, I realized that there is indeed a very high level of security and provision of everything necessary here. The authorities started writing yesterday and today that they would compensate for hotels. This is not relevant to me because I live in apartments. I have friends from Moscow here who are in hotels – their hotels are being extended either by tour operators or by order of the state. Overall, everything is calm. The hardest part is the uncertainty. And everyone who is not in Dubai – acquaintances, friends, parents, relatives – are very worried. I understand them: if I were not here and did not see the level of calmness, I would also think that something terrible was happening. " But in reality, it's not like that. Many organizations are working: I needed to buy lenses, go to the pharmacy, fix my computer – everything was working. You can write to WhatsApp everywhere and ask if they are open – they answered that they are open. Those who are tourists and did not plan to stay are the most stressed: they want to leave, wait for the sky to open, and get answers from tour operators. Some Russian tour operators are more supportive, others less so. Airlines, in my opinion, communicate stably: both Aeroflot, FlyDubai, Emirates, and S7 – they coordinate well, many provided accommodation for tourists. Do I plan to move to Dubai, as I initially intended? Probably yes, if there is no strong escalation. I hope that the Arab countries will have enough wisdom not to get involved and to get out of this correctly. Smoke in the industrial zone of Fujairah, UAE, March 3, 2026. Photo: Amr Alfiky / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA. Olga I moved to Dubai from Moscow in 2016: my husband was transferred for work, but we returned in 2019. In 2022, I moved to Dubai again, which was directly related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. My husband is European, an employee of an international company, so we decided that it was unsafe for him to be in Russia. In Dubai, we already had business partners, a clear language environment, because it is an absolutely English-speaking city, security, and plus a good life experience. I do PR, and now I work as a freelancer. I found out about the start of the war from the news. Rather, I first learned that the US and Israel had attacked Iran – this was not a big surprise, all my Israeli acquaintances were actively preparing for the second Iranian war. But it was a surprise that Iran would attack monarchies directly. The arrivals began on February 29th around 12 noon and continued to varying degrees all day, all night, and they are still continuing. We learned about the arrivals primarily from Telegram channels, including our Russian channels, from our Russian-speaking Dubai chats, because this is the most operational source of information here. It immediately became clear that something quite large-scale was happening, there were many missiles, and local ministries immediately began sending out emergency messages. " One of the missiles hit about 30 meters from my house. I live in the City Walk area. We had a small fire. Fortunately, the missile fell on a construction site, so there were no casualties or significant damage, the fire was extinguished. We mostly heard explosions from the direction of the airport, which is also damaged by a drone now. I saw pillars of smoke close to the Jebel Ali port, and very loud bangs were heard at night, our windows rattled. I know that in some buildings, they tried to evacuate all residents to underground parking for safety. We didn't have that, we were in our apartment at night. Mar, the main developer and owner of Dubai Mall, issued a notice to tenants that stores must remain open, otherwise they will be fined. Because this could provoke panic, in general, the city's life must go on. Some store owners and tenants, of course, decided to close, despite the fines. As a rule, these are very large companies from the luxury segment like LVMH, Kering, and so on. But many stores are open. Dubai Mall itself and most of the malls in Dubai are open. Alerts are also working. Sirens wail, attack messages, notifications to take cover in shelters, arrive. For a country that has never had combat experience, I think the authorities are doing almost everything possible. What is somewhat lacking is informational transparency, because there is a certain censorship in Dubai: the authorities are trying to limit the spread of unverified information, including on social media. I heard that there were huge queues at stores selling alcohol, at African and Eastern and MMI chains, there were very large queues for alcohol last night. There was also panic buying in some supermarkets for toilet paper and essential goods. But, for example, in my supermarket on the first floor of the building, there are no people, all products are available, no queues. .Skyscrapers have significantly dimmed their lighting to avoid being an easy target. Most events have been canceled. Now is the holy month of Ramadan, so every evening special events were held – iftars, when after the day's fast Muslims gather in large groups (to break their fast. – Ed.). These events are mostly canceled. But there is no panic – for example, last night we went to "La Petite Maison" restaurant, a famous French restaurant in Dubai, and it was about 80% full. People were drinking champagne and having fun. The level of anxiety among people varies greatly. Some write that they need to leave by car for Oman or the desert. There are people who approach the situation with more humor and try to keep themselves in check. My husband and I try to behave as normally as possible, while observing safety measures – we avoid open areas, try not to be close to windows, do not go up skyscrapers or to panoramic viewing platforms. As messages come in, we try to stay in safe places, but generally, we don't just sit at home. " It's too early to talk about leaving now. We have a life, work, colleagues, golden visas, real estate here, and leaving is not a decision that can be made in a few hours. Besides, where to go? My husband's business is related to the Persian Gulf countries, the Middle East, and he often travels on business trips to neighboring countries. It is difficult to say where in the region is safer now. Officially, Iran claims that strikes are being carried out on American bases in the region. But there are no American military bases in Dubai itself. There is Al Dhafra Air Base 30 minutes from Abu Dhabi, and American ships sometimes use the Jebel Ali port. But hotels on the Palm, Burj Al Arab, the airport – these are civilian facilities. For Dubai's economy, what is happening is a serious blow. Unlike Abu Dhabi, where oil accounts for a significant portion of GDP, Dubai has virtually no oil. The economy is based on trade, retail, real estate, and tourism. It may become more difficult to sell real estate to international investors in a country that risks being in a war zone, and prices may start to fall. Rare cynicism is now evident from Russia: condolences are expressed on the death of Ayatollah Khamenei, but I do not see condemnation of the strikes on the United Arab Emirates and other peaceful countries of the Persian Gulf. At the same time, a lot of fakes are being spread. Far from all videos are true. Many clips are old fires and old natural disasters that have nothing to do with yesterday's events. Become a participant of "Novaya Gazeta" Become a participant of "Novaya Gazeta", subscribe to the newsletter and receive letters from the editorial office Subscribe Artyom I am from Belgorod, I have been living in Dubai for the second year. I left here to get a higher education. In 2023, I went to Argentina for a year, then returned to Russia for six months, but I didn't like the situation, and I decided to try to leave again – this time for Dubai. Dubai is closer than Argentina, there are direct and relatively inexpensive flights to Russia. There is a large international community and a large Russian-speaking diaspora here – you can find a Russian-speaking specialist in almost any field. In addition, it is a politically more neutral territory: not as pro-Ukrainian as many European countries, and not openly pro-Russian. Until recently, one could feel relatively safe here. I learned about the start of the war from my students: on Saturdays, I work at a school for children of Russian immigrants – "Gymnasium No. 1," which is also represented in London, Amsterdam, Tel Aviv, and other cities. One of the students came up to me and showed me a video where something was exploding in Dubai, and drones were flying. At first, I didn't understand what it was about. Then friends started writing, parents called, asking if everything was okay. At the time of the arrivals, I was at school. I had previously unsubscribed from news channels, trying to distance myself from the political agenda, so I learned about what was happening, in essence, later than many. " On the one hand, it was hard to believe, on the other hand, I felt not fear, but rather fatigue from the fact that nowhere, it seems, is there a completely safe place. I immediately began to assess the seriousness of the situation, prepare a "go-bag," stock up on groceries, and re-subscribe to the news. I already had food prepared for an upcoming hike in the mountains, canned food, nuts, dates, "Bulldak" – instant noodles. I also withdrew 10,000 dirhams in cash (about 211,000 rubles – Ed.), and gathered my documents. Flashes and smoke in the sky over Dubai after intercepting a missile, UAE, March 1, 2026. Photo: EPA. I saw some explosions: air defense was working in the evening, I filmed it. Many people posted similar videos online. But I refrain from publishing such materials: the UAE has strict laws, and you can be held responsible for spreading false information. There was a feeling that the strikes were hitting symbolic points to attract media attention. I understand that the situation may drag on for days or even months. The authorities reacted quickly: there were SMS alerts, official statements that the situation was under control. At night, emergency alarms went off on everyone's phones at maximum volume, it was impossible to turn them off. The notification recommended descending to basement premises. However, Dubai does not have classic bomb shelters – it is most often about underground parking or lobbies. The atmosphere in the city has noticeably changed. People are trying to stay home. I live near a park that is usually crowded in the evenings, but now it is almost empty. Delivery services are working intermittently. " If earlier groceries were delivered in 10-15 minutes, now the wait can be about an hour, and some services temporarily do not accept orders. This is likely due to increased demand and the fact that some couriers did not come to work. It is difficult to order large volumes of water in the applications – large bottles are temporarily unavailable. Public transport is operating as usual: metro and taxis are functioning. I do not notice a significant increase in taxi prices. I wouldn't say I feel unsafe. Rather, there is irritation due to the disruption of the usual rhythm of life. The arrivals are local in nature, often involving intercepted missiles and falling debris. There are no large-scale attacks specifically targeting the civilian population at the moment. Nevertheless, I want the situation to stabilize as soon as possible, as I have a trip to Russia planned to resolve document issues (and the airport is closed. – Ed.). I have a friend who lives on the Palm – not far from one of the impact sites. He said that his windows rattled during the explosions. Missiles were also shot down over my area, and debris fell in neighboring blocks. It's calm in my area now, although news reports from other parts of the city periodically report new incidents. I am not planning to leave permanently yet. The situation can change quickly: too little time has passed to draw final conclusions. If the trip to Russia takes place, I will fly out and see how events unfold. In extreme cases, I could consider returning to Argentina or transferring to the Australian campus of my university. I have only one year left to finish my studies, and I would not want to lose this opportunity. My reflection generates a feeling of fatigue. There is neither panic nor emotional outbursts – rather, an automatic reaction: take necessary safety measures and follow the authorities' recommendations. I would not compare what is happening here with the situation in Belgorod, where shelling was more massive and prolonged. So far, the situation in Dubai does not seem so critical. Dubai, UAE, March 3, 2026. Photo: Raghed Waked / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA. Tatyana I am from Vladivostok, my husband is from Rostov-on-Don. We emigrated to Tbilisi in the summer of '22. We were returning from a winter stay in Bangkok to Tbilisi on February 28th. We had a one-hour layover in Sharjah. We arrived on Saturday at noon, and at 1 PM we were supposed to fly to Tbilisi. We arrived in the UAE normally: we made our connection, connected to free Wi-Fi, and read the news about Iran. We were very surprised, but still hoped to fly out. Even when we were boarding the plane, I asked the flight attendant how we would fly. She said that the flight would just be extended by two hours, and we would fly with a big detour. But that didn't happen, unfortunately. After 20 minutes, everyone was kicked off the planes and told to wait. A couple of hours later, airport staff informed us that we wouldn't fly anywhere and told us to go to the city. Then we went through passport control, went outside, and found an Air Arabia representative. He told us to book a hotel ourselves, but we didn't even have internet. We wandered around for a bit, trying to catch an internet signal, but couldn't. Then we saw a group of Russian tourists, and the same Air Arabia representative was helping them all. We joined them, and they booked us a hotel with meals, where we have already spent two nights. And we don't know how many more we will spend. We were lucky with accommodation: a beautiful view from the window, a huge room, a kitchen, and we also have normal meals, so we are in a very good situation. There is no news from the airline: flights are marked as postponed. So, apparently, we just sit, wait, and hope. I saw a message in the chats that people were going to Oman, it's 5 hours away. " But it seems safer to sit here, because they have the best air defense in the world here, and 97% of missiles are shot down. Sharjah is a quiet city, nothing is flying here and is unlikely to fly, because there are no objects. There haven't even been any sirens heard here. I don't know how many more days everything will be closed here. But for us, it's okay. That is, we just sit in the hotel and rest.