On the border between Georgia and Russia, the fears generated after the announcement of the partial mobilization of Russian men by Vladimir Putin are clearly illustrated.
Fearing being sent to the Ukrainian front, many Russians have decided to leave their country, in particular to go to Georgia, a neighboring country that does not require a visa for citizens of Moscow.
At Verkhniy Lars, a roadside border post on the Russian-Georgian border, dozens of cars were still waiting to pass through this Saturday morning, BFMTV’s special correspondent on the spot was able to verify. More than 10 km of traffic jams were measured.
An emergency exodus
The passage of motorists is greatly slowed by checkpoints operated on the Russian side. Men of military age who want to go to Georgia must prove that they were not called to participate in the Kremlin-led war.
Given the waiting times, sometimes longer than 24 hours to cross this border post, some have chosen to cross it by bicycle, or even on a scooter. Those fleeing are mostly men, often alone, sometimes with their families.
In any case, their exodus does not seem to have been prepared for a long time, but hastily organized after the announcements of Vladimir Putin. The Russians observed at the Verkhniy Lars border post only take a few things, sometimes a simple bag, enough to last a few days.
And few know where their exile will take them. Which city to go to? Who to join? Does not matter. For the moment, what matters is to avoid being mobilized at all costs.
Leaks that the Kremlin considers exaggerated
Georgia is not the only country where young Russians take refuge. Armenia and Turkey, which also do not require visas, are popular destinations. As of Wednesday, all flights from Moscow to Istanbul or Yerevan were full.
Finland, a country of the European Union, announced for its part that it was going to drastically reduce the entries of Russian citizens. Helsinki has a land border with Moscow. As for Germany, she said that she was ready to receive the defectors.
On the Kremlin side, it is claimed, these flight phenomena are highly exaggerated.
Source: BFM TV
