11.03.2026, Riyadh.
The panic escape of ultra-wealthy from the previously prosperous Dubai (UAE) to Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), which has unexpectedly become an island of relative calm, clearly shows how dramatically the Middle East has changed over the past few days, Rossa Primavera News Agency Middle East Desk notes.
On February 28, Iran responded to US-Israeli strikes by attacking US military bases located in neighboring states. The Al Dhafra Air Base was hit, and Dubai Airport and hotels on Palm Jumeirah were also damaged.
After that, several Middle Eastern companies reported that the safest transit point for leaving Dubai had become the Saudi capital Riyadh. This is notable because for a long time European elites tried to avoid traveling through Saudi Arabia, whose reputation had been damaged by the Yemeni Civil War and periodic attacks by the Houthi movement.
At the same time, Dubai had long been considered by world-wide elites, including in Russia, as an ideal place where one could quietly escape if necessary, provided one had enough money. A wealthy, open, relatively neutral, and well-protected city. What more could someone like Pavel Durov hope for?
But almost overnight, these two cities have switched places in the rankings of preferred transit hubs for air travelers.
What does this show? It shows that in the modern world it is impossible to escape war. No matter how much money you have or how high your social position is, it is impossible to hide from reality forever.
And reality suggests that war is spreading to more and more territories on the world map and into more and more spheres of human life. And it seems that soon there may be no place left on the planet where war cannot reach you.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
