Thousands of Russians seeking asylum at the U.S. southern border

A new report has shown that more than 8,600 Russians have attempted to cross the border into the United States from Mexico – in an effort to escape an increasingly precarious political situation in Russia driven by President Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

A new report from the Associated Press shows that many Russians are currently flying from Moscow to Cancun where they enter as tourists before pooling funds to buy cars and drive north towards to the border. Once there, they must outsmart U.S. border officials who try prevent them from reaching American soil and claiming asylum, ABC News reported.

Maksim Derzhko – a longtime Putin opponent – said reaching the border was one of the most terrifying experiences of his life. After flying from Vladivostok to Tijuana with his 14-year-old daughter, the Russian national and his child jumped in a car with 5 other compatriots and drove to a check-point to request entry from a skeptical border official.

The emotions are "hard to put into words," he says. "It's fear. The unknown. It's really hard. We had no choice."

Although Derzhko was detained, he was released shortly after and reported that U.S. authorities assured him that he and his daughter were safe and even apologized for handcuffing him.

So far, more than 8,600 Russians have attempted to cross into the U.S. border from August through January after entering Mexico as tourists. According to U.S. immigration law, migrants need only reach buffer zones at the U.S. border crossings to claim asylum on U.S. soil – but many migrants have reported that officers have attempted to block them.

Although many migrants choose to cross illegally through deserts and mountains, Eastern Europeans appear to favor passing through official crossings.

Derzhko, a Navalny vocal supporter, still dreams that he might return to Russia one day, but says the United States represents freedom to him.

"America has always been an example for me," he said.