Russian men are fleeing their homeland after President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization. Others try to find creative solutions to avoid being called to service.
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Waves of Russian men are fleeing the country to avoid being called up for military service and sent to the front in Ukraine. Several countries, such as Turkey, Georgia, Armenia and Montenegro, do not have a visa requirement for Russian citizens.
Photos and videos show increased traffic and long queues at several border crossings outside Russia, such as in Finland and Georgia.
It was already Wednesday one-way tickets to Russia are sold out. But the Kremlin believes that reports of men fleeing Russia are exaggerated.
- Here’s why they are fleeing Russia: President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization on Wednesday of 300,000 reservists for the war in Ukraine. Soon after, the men began to receive letters in the mail ordering them to enter the service.
Russian men they have already been rounded up and sent to military camps different places in the country. The mobilization began in poor regions far from the big cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg.
The video purports to show Russian men sent to a military training camp in Staryi Oskol, in the Belgorod region:
Several international media have spoken with young Russians who have already received the summons or have fled the country. Nobody wants to come forward with their full name, for fear of reprisals.
READ ALSO: More than 1,300 arrested after anti-mobilization protests
– Hide
– When the summons comes, you have two choices: hide or die, says a young Russian to the Belgian newspaper The latest news.
Valentin, who lives in Moscow, tells the newspaper that two of his colleagues were taken to work and “sent to the front”.
The Russian newspaper Meduza spoke to several young people:
Nikita (29) says she wants to leave:
– But I have no money or passport. My parents want to help me, but they themselves are not rich. I will definitely hide, I will not go to war. At worst, I cut my finger, says Nikita (29).
Even Alexei (22) does not know if he will stay in Russia:
– Defense Minister Sjojgu says they shouldn’t mobilize students, but I don’t believe it. My younger brother turns 18 tomorrow, he’s in a panic. I don’t know if I will stay in Russia. Even if they bring ten criminal cases against me, I will not go (to war). At the same time, I have not finished my education, so what will become of me abroad
He says he attended the demonstration on Wednesday:
– We were taken to the police station. Suddenly a commissar of war arrived with a summons. I passed out and they called an ambulance. But before he arrived, they had time to fill out the summons.
24-year-old Nikolai says he doesn’t want to fight:
– My mother says there is criminal responsibility here. He is the lesser of evils. I will not fight, because it is an obvious death. I’m not interested in politics. I am a normal civilized guy who is not interested in these things.
– This morning at four two ladies came and handed the summons to my stepfather. He was supposed to meet at seven in the morning.
Pavel Tschikov, a lawyer and leader of the Agora organization, is attacked by men who have been summoned. He tells Meduza about a 63-year-old colonel mobilized in Moscow, a 55-year-old senior lieutenant in Volgograd and a 60-year-old sergeant in Samara.
He leaves his wife heavily pregnant
It is not forbidden for men to leave Russia at this time.
– I want to prepare myself for the worst possible scenario, that all men, regardless of age, are refused to leave the country, with the lawyer Alexey Pryanishnikov.
The Guardian spoke to 29-year-old Sergeant Oleg of the Russian Reserve Army. Defense summoning orders came in the mail just hours after President Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization.
He was asked to report to his local recruiting center in Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, about 800 kilometers east of Moscow.
– My heart sank when I was called. But I knew I didn’t have time to despair, she tells the newspaper.
Oleg packed his bags and booked a one-way ticket to the city of Orenburg, near the border with Kazakhstan. He leaves his seriously pregnant wife, who is expected to arrive next week.
– I’m crossing the border tonight. I have no idea when I’m going back to Russia, she told the Guardian Thursday night.
Reuters spoke to Russian men who have just left Russia.
– War is terrible. It’s okay to be afraid of war and death and things like that, says Sergej in Belgrade.
– Partial mobilization is one of the reasons I’m here. It seems to be a bad step and could create problems for many Russians, says Alex in Istanbul.
– Willing to break his arm
BBC they spoke to a 26-year-old “Sergei” who was ordered to serve on Tuesday evening – before Putin’s speech.
Although the Kremlin has said that only people with military training are summoned, Sergej says he has no military experience.
The BBC writes that several Russian men are looking for creative solutions to avoid appearing for the report. Vyacheslav in Moscow says he asked for help from friends in medicine.
– Mental health or treatment for substance abuse problems seem like good, cheap and perhaps even free options, he says.
He claims that if you are high, or get caught driving drunk, you will be deprived of your license and hopefully need to be treated.
Another man from Kaliningrad tells the BBC he will do everything to avoid being ordered to serve.
– I’m willing to break an arm, a leg, go to jail, anything to avoid this whole thing.
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