Russians are rushing to book one-way flights out of the country. The exodus of Russian citizens comes in response to the partial mobilisation order that President Vladimir Putin announced just a few days ago. The mobilisation order comes as Russia struggles to make any significant advance in Ukraine after it had invaded the country earlier in the year.
This is not the first exodus of Russian nationals. A large number of Russians left in the immediate aftermath of the invasion in February. But the current numbers far surpass them, said Ira Lobanovskaya, founder of an NGO which helps conscientious Russians leave the country, to The Guardian.
Nearly every flight out of the two major Russian cities in the western half of the country, Moscow and St. Petersburg, have been booked through the weekend, reported FlightRadar24. The sheer demand for seats has sent ticket prices soaring.
The matter is complicated further for the limited number of options that Russians have when trying to exit the country. Following the invasion, the European Union and many other countries closed their airspaces to Russia. Furthermore, international sanctions mean that many airlines are no longer operating within Russia.
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Those individuals who are trying to leave also need to consider that they can only escape to a country which allows visa-free arrival of Russian citizens. Turkey, Armenia and Georgia are popular destinations, but flights are sold out, including flights that have a stopover in those locations. More distant flight destinations like Dubai are still available but the cheapest tickets cost upwards of 300,000 roubles, about five times the average monthly wage (60,000 roubles), which most Russians are unable to afford.
Data from the popular search engine Google shows a massive spike in the number of people who are searching for terms like ‘leaving Russia’ and ‘Aviasales’. The latter is one of the most popular flight search engines and booking marketplace in Russia.
Many Russians are also choosing to leave through land borders due to the lack of available flights. But the route there is no easier. With most EU countries directly bordering Russia no longer allowing Russian citizens to arrive on a tourist visa, those looking to leave either need to make their way to the Caucuses or towards central Asia.
However, Russians also need to make their way quickly amid fears that Russia may close its borders fully or partially. The mobilisation order has meant that over 300,000 reservists have been called to active duty to serve on the Ukrainian frontlines. While Russia won’t admit to its failures in what it calls 'the special military operation', having to pull out reservists is a tacit signal of the invasion progressing poorly. Along with the mobilisation order, there was a renewed nuclear threat from President Putin.
Russian forces, which were once rapidly closing in around the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, have now been forced to the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
