Russian Men Flee Country Amid Fears of New Military Mobilisation
· World · Hindustan Times, The Economist
Thousands of Russian men are leaving the country fearing a new wave of military mobilisation ahead of potential forced inductions. On September 18, Muscovite advertising professional Dmitry cast his vote in parliamentary elections, wrote 'criminal' on his ballot, and boarded a flight to Istanbul. Border crossings have surged, with 20,000 people crossing the land border between Russia and Georgia on August 18 alone, about triple the normal daily volume. Rental accommodation prices in visa-free Armenia have risen by 30 to 50 percent since spring due to high demand. Volunteer groups report a sharp increase in requests for assistance, with Idite Lesom seeing a 50 percent rise in autumn and Kovcheg reporting an eight-fold jump in emigrant enquiries since July. While Ukrainian officials predict a call-up of at least 100,000 men and French President Emmanuel Macron puts the figure at 300,000, the Kremlin has dismissed the reports as an information attack.
Why it matters
The sudden outflow of Russian citizens disrupts regional economies, strains migration networks in neighbouring countries, and signals deepening domestic anxiety over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
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