The study focuses on the narratives generated by Russian emigrants who departed from their homeland after the beginning of the full scale war in Ukraine. Specifically, it analyzes how Russian immigrants construct their identities through digital storytelling on social media platforms like Telegram amid the upheaval triggered by their sudden relocation. The study also examines the concepts immigrants employ to describe their status, such as “refugees” and “relocants.” The understanding of home undergoes significant evolution in emigrants’ narratives, as the possibility of returning to their former lives becomes increasingly remote. Furthermore, the research elucidates how immigrants’ integration into host communities is influenced by enduring divisions from their country of origin, including ideological stances on the war and the dichotomy between the “leavers” and “remainers.”