As the war in Ukraine continues, more and more Russians are trying to leave their country. People fear the effects of economic sanctions and the possible introduction of martial law.
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The Finnish railways are forced to deploy additional trains on the route between Saint Petersburg and Helsinki. This is currently one of the last ways to enter Europe from Russia. The Finnish public broadcaster reported that thousands of Russians have already arrived in the Finnish capital. Topi Simola, top man at the Finnish railways, says that the trains to Helsinki will be full in the coming days. Trains to Russia, on the other hand, are almost empty.
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“I know people who are desperate to leave Russia,” Russian Elena told AFP news agency. On the first day of the invasion, she was visiting relatives in Moscow. She immediately rebooked her airline tickets so that she could return to Finland, where she lives, the same day. “People no longer feel safe. They know that the economic situation is going to be tough. Also from a moral point of view people find it difficult to stay.” Elena has no plans to return to her homeland anytime soon.
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Svetlana, who lives in Austria and her 14-year-old daughter Maria, also managed to leave Russia via Helsinki. Their plane had already been cancelled. “We have been so lucky. Otherwise we would have traveled via Turkey. But that is so much more expensive.”
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Currently, the train between Russia and Finland runs twice a day. Simola says that number is now doubling.
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