Russian Refugee Faces Hardship as Undocumented Migrant in Barbados

A 31-year-old Russian man, recognised as a refugee by the United Nations, says he is living as an undocumented migrant in Barbados, surviving on food retrieved from dustbins while awaiting a resettlement solution that has failed to materialise.

Kirill Makarov, who arrived in Barbados in October 2024 after failed asylum bids in other nations, told the Sunday Sun that despite his official refugee status, he had been left in legal and physical limbo – unable to work, facing health challenges and sleeping in undisclosed locations (abandoned houses) for his own safety.

“I am an illegal migrant,” Makarov said bluntly, describing his current standing on the island. “For the most part, I collect food from dustbins, discarded fruits, vegetables,” he said, pointing out that local food had left him with stomach pain.

Makarov’s journey to the Caribbean was a last resort. Before arriving in Barbados, he said he transited through Egypt, the United Kingdom, Argentina and Mexico. He said he was forced to leave Mexico within two weeks and chose Barbados due to the lack of a language barrier and restrictions on entering the United States or Canada.