A new wave of Russians is leaving the country amid growing rumors that the Kremlin could announce another military mobilization following parliamentary elections scheduled to conclude Sunday.
Kovcheg, an organization that helps Russians flee the country, reported that requests for assistance surged nearly eightfold over the past month compared to May.
Fears of conscription come as Russians face worsening daily conditions, including a fuel crisis caused by Ukrainian drone strikes against oil facilities and warehouses operated by major online retailers, including Wildberries.
The Russian government has also imposed increasingly severe internet restrictions following the attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other officials in Kyiv have claimed that Moscow is preparing a large-scale mobilization, an allegation the Kremlin strongly denies.
A diplomat stationed in Moscow confirmed growing public anxiety and an unusual increase in the number of Russians arriving in neighboring countries.
Unlike the massive lines seen at Russia’s borders in 2022, the latest exodus has been quieter, with many Russians traveling to visa-free destinations including Georgia and Armenia.
A 28-year-old digital marketing worker from Krasnodar told The Associated Press that he moved to Tbilisi because of the political situation and internet restrictions that forced him to constantly switch VPN servers.
A 23-year-old woman who left Russia last month said she feared that her husband would be drafted and described their departure as a one-way trip. Ivan Nazarov, a university graduate who relocated to Yerevan, said soldiers were being pressured into signing military contracts before being deployed to Ukraine, calling his decision to leave “a matter of survival.”
The crackdown on personal freedoms is also driving Russians out of the country. Human rights activist Danil Naumov fled after serving 10 days in prison for wearing a shirt displaying an anti-government symbol.
Naumov said several acquaintances also left after being detained at a demonstration supporting the opposition Yabloko party, which was barred from participating in the elections.
One 35-year-old Russian described the country as a “giant digital prison,” where citizens have no rights and cannot freely speak or act.
Armenian National Security Council Secretary Alen Simonyan said his country would assist Russians fleeing military service, drawing a sharp condemnation from Russia’s Foreign Ministry.
Russian lawmaker Viktor Sobolev dismissed concerns over the growing exodus, saying Russia does not need people whose love for their country is so weak that they leave because of rumors.
“Let them leave,” Sobolev said.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
