Old Believers who moved to Primorye are on the brink of bankruptcy and are asking Sber for help. 

Old Believers who came to Primorsky Krai from Brazil recorded a video message to Sberbank CEO Herman Gref. Their farms were on the brink of bankruptcy. 

"In 2024... we couldn't plant our fields... we had problems with our banks. In 2025... we started having problems with the price of soybeans on global markets, and a state duty was imposed on exports... we couldn't meet our obligations. Our rate is 30%. We need to lower it to be able to... get out of this situation," Avraam Kalugin says in the video. 

According to him, starting in 2021, the community is not asking for all debt forgiveness, but only a deferment; otherwise, the farms will face bankruptcy and the loss of land and equipment. Community representatives have held several meetings in Moscow with Ministry of Agriculture officials and bank representatives. But so far, there have been no results. 

Old Believers began moving to Russia under the compatriot resettlement program in 2009. In Primorsky Krai settled down More than 50 families: they were promised land and support. But in 2022, one of the families faced Instead of receiving help, they were deceived and housed in a dilapidated barracks near Ussuriysk. During their 11 years in Russia, the family lost money, land, and fell into debt. 

Now, according to Kalugin, the Old Believers are considering returning to Brazil.

"I don't want to think about returning to Brazil. It all depends on what my family says. They'll say, 'We lived peacefully there, we have somewhere to turn to.' Perhaps that's an option," сказал Kalugin.