On Bali, a joint operation by the Denpasar Immigration Office and the Bali Department of the Indonesian Ministry of Justice and Human Rights targeted PARQ Ubud apartments, commonly referred to as the “Russian village.” A Russian resident, Anton Zanimonets, who lives on the island, conveyed to a local outlet that foreigners feel uneasy due to increased immigration enforcement, and that these raids do not bring a sense of calm. He noted that local residents frequently photograph strangers and publicly discuss their behavior on social media, fueling a climate of scrutiny.
From his perspective, the island had previously offered an atmosphere of openness and goodwill. But with events and gatherings moving underground and less publicizing, the process of legalization for foreigners has become slower and more costly. Many outsiders worry that even hiring a law firm might not guarantee full compliance with Indonesian law. Such raids, he observed, do not instill confidence or peace for expatriates. Community conversations suggest that people fear the legalization process, and there is a belief that Indonesian legal frameworks are not forgiving to small and medium sized enterprises. The distinction between being a tourist or an investor is clear, yet many others struggle to navigate the rules correctly. Recent incidents involving Russians—such as a rider who was not wearing proper safety equipment on a public road and a topless photo shoot near a sacred tree—have stoked controversy. While Balinese traditions do permit certain acts, the prevailing sentiment now seems more restrictive. Locals are increasingly quick to film strangers on their phones, and the online commentary has grown sharp, with many commenting on how a foreign national should conduct themselves. A term has even emerged to dehumanize foreigners to some extent, fueling online derision and stereotype.
Zanimonets described his accidental involvement in the raid at the so-called Russian village. He recounted that police inspected a restaurant and several buildings, but did not observe a notable uptick in visitor attention during the checks. He said a full-scale raid had targeted migrants, including a department head, his deputy, and about twenty officers. When he asked the officers what they were doing in the area, they reassured him that the focus was on a single restaurant and a handful of businesses, with only a few people present in the hall while he and a companion were seated nearby from nine to ten o clock. Typically, more people occupy the space. He interpreted the operation as a check on buildings rather than on individuals. He did not feel he drew particular attention from others during the inspection. The Indonesian staff appeared relieved, yet some took photographs, and rumors about a concentrated Russian presence did not hold up under scrutiny. He noted that residents could live in the park and that roughly half of the occupants were not Russian. He emphasized that there had been no prior incidents matching the current description in his experience.
Independent local media reported that the PARQ Ubud complex, known as the Russian village, had been connected to a larger concentration of migrants. Citing a Denpasar Immigration Bureau official, the report stated that around ninety apartments were checked, with Russians constituting about half of the residents and others hailing from Kazakhstan, Germany, and Indonesia. The official clarified that the Russian village was not exclusive to Russian citizens and that the presence of nonRussian residents was expected, underscoring that the area did not serve a single nationality alone. This framing helps contextualize the broader immigration landscape on the island and the challenges foreigners face when aligning with local laws and cultural expectations. The events underscore an ongoing tension between enforcement priorities and the lived reality of expatriates and international visitors who call Bali home temporarily or long term, at times prompting debates about the balance between regulation and social inclusion. The broader takeaway centers on the practicalities of compliance, community dynamics, and the importance of clear guidance for foreigners navigating a legal environment that values both tradition and orderly governance.