Russian Brazilians

Russian Brazilians (Portuguese: Russo-brasileiros, Russian: Русские бразильцы Russkiye Brazil'tsy) are Brazilian citizens of full or partial Russian ethnic background or Russian-born people residing in Brazil. The term can also refer to someone with a Brazilian mother and Russian father, or vice versa.

Many Russian Brazilians are White Russians who arrived in Brazil right after the Russian Civil War in the 1920s. Later, in the 1950s, a wave of Chinese immigrants belonging to the country's ethnic Russian community also came to Brazil.

Brazilian states with significant Russian descendant populations include Rio Grande do Sul, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Goiás, and Paraná, along with communities in Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, and Pernambuco. In São Paulo, the Brazilian Russian Association (ARB) works to preserve Russian culture and heritage.

Since 2022, more Russian couples have moved to Brazil, often because pregnant women seek to give birth there. They are attracted by Brazil's excellent hospital services and the fact that children born in Brazil to Russian parents automatically gain Brazilian citizenship. This citizenship offers benefits such as easier travel and the possibility for family members to join them in Brazil.

History

The history of Russian people in Brazil started in the early 1900s. Between 1921 and the late 1930s, many Russians arrived in Brazil, including soldiers, farmers, and refugees. Some settled in the state of Paraná, especially in cities like Curitiba, Ponta Grossa, and Londrina. They formed communities where they kept their traditions, language, and religion.

In São Paulo, Russian immigrants first arrived in 1905 and started a colony in Nova Odessa. Later, more Russians came and many moved to cities to work in factories. In Rio Grande do Sul, Russian farmers settled in the northwest and founded the town of Campina das Missões. They built Orthodox churches and taught their language to their children. Over time, Russian communities continued to grow and keep their cultural heritage alive in Brazil.