Vladimir has been preparing for a move to France for a long time.
A visa application process that used to be easy has become more complex, but the man is confident that he will be able to get his family out of Russia.
On the other hand, living in the country where you were born is a bit uncomfortable. On the one hand, it is about the safety of your family, according to Vladimir.
The decision to leave the country he has called home all his life was not made in a single day. Over the course of several years, the president has watched the erosion of politics and freedom in Russia. The invasion of Ukraine by the Kremlin was the straw that broke the camel's back.
He thinks everything will be bad in a year or two.
The Russian Embassy in London did not respond to CNBC's request for comment.
Vladimir is part of the second wave of migration. People with businesses or families who wanted to let their children finish school before leaving are included.
It wasn't given to everyone. Life for some Russians became intolerable because of the invasion of Ukraine.
Once the flow begins and people start finding out how to do things ... that prompts more people to leave.
The first wave of artists, journalists and others who were openly opposed to Putin felt they had to leave the country or risk political persecution if they continued to speak out.
"A lot of people got notices saying that they were traitors, even from their neighbors," said Jeanne Batalova, senior policy analyst at the migration policy institute.
More Russians are packing up and leaving as the war rages on.
Once the flow begins and people find out how to do things, like apply for asylum or start a business, that leads to more people leaving. It becomes a cycle of its own.
There is no data on how many Russians have left the country since the beginning of the war. One Russian economist put the total at 200,000 by the end of March.
According to Batalova, tens of thousands of Russians have moved to Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Israel and the Baltic States.
The numbers do ring true if you look at the destinations where people have gone. Many of Russia's large overseas diaspora have chosen not to return home following the invasion. Batalova thinks it's around 100,000.
There is no concrete data on the number of people who have fled Russia following the war, although economists put estimates at 200,000 to 300,000 as of mid-March.In the tech sector alone, an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 professionals left in the first month of the war, with a further 70,000 to 100,000 expected to follow, according to a Russian IT industry trade group.
Some start-up founders like Vladimir, who runs a software service for restaurants, have decided to relocate their businesses and staff to countries with access to capital, such as France, the U.K., Spain and Cyprus. Vladimir is moving his family and his team of four to Paris.
They are following in the footsteps of more mobile independent Russia tech workers who have gone to low-visa countries.
You’re seeing a massive brain drain. The disruption for talented people is enormous.
There are more than one group of tech workers at larger Russian IT companies who leave more out of obligation than choice.
The founder of Relocode said that these people faced a difficult situation.
Many overseas customers are threatening to stop doing business with Russia. There are low costs in Bulgaria, Russian influence in Serbia, and tax benefits in Armenia.
He said that most of them want to stay in Russia. They have their clients who buy their outsourcing products and services who want them to leave. Some clients said they would end their contracts if they didn't leave Russia.
The tech sector is one of several professional services industries that have seen an exodus of talent from Russia's larger cities.
Scott Antel, an international hospitality and franchise lawyer who spent almost two decades working in Moscow, has so far this year helped five friends relocate from Russia to Dubai, in several cases purchasing properties for them, sight unseen.
"You're seeing a massive brain drain," said Antel, whose departing friends span the legal and consulting professions. It's going to be even more disruptive for talented people.
Around 15,000 millionaires are expected to leave Russia this year, adding to the increasing number of people migrating away amid President Putin’s war.Many of them feel like they have lost their country. Is this going to change in a couple of years? That's not true.
Professionals are not the only ones looking for the stability of overseas markets. As a result of international sanctions, the emirate has become a destination of choice for Russia's rich, with many moving their wealth into its luxury property market.
Around 15,000 millionaires are expected to leave Russia this year, according to a report from London-based citizenship-by-investment firm.
Some of Russia's earlier emigres have returned home because of both family and business ties, as well as difficulties due to travel restrictions and banking sanctions, according to reports.
Batalova thinks that the returns will be short-lived.
She said that when people go back to Russia it will be to sell their possessions and then leave again.
Some Russian emigres may receive a rough reception in their host country.
They don’t want Russia to come along later and try to protect Russians in those host countries as they did with the diaspora in Ukraine.
Russia is seen as the aggressor by the emigres in this conflict. The public sentiment can be transferred to the new arrivals even if they are against the system.
There is a fear among some host countries that an influx of Russian migrants could lead to a Russian invasion. There is a significant number of ethnic Russians in the area of east Ukraine.
Georgia, Armenia, and the Baltic states, all of which have suffered at the hands of Russian aggression in the past, are likely to be anxious.
She said that they don't want Russia to come along later and try to protect Russians in those host countries as they did with the diaspora in Ukranian.
Vladimir is not going to be deterred. He wants to start afresh in his family's search for a new home.
It is not true for all people. He said that people can understand each other with any passport.
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