Russians Flee Country en Masse To Escape Possible Military Recruitment
(TargetLiberty.org) – In early September, the Ukrainian military launched a mission to take its territory back from the Russians. The troops launched a wide-scale blitz attack on the invading military armed with weapons sent to them by their Western allies, including the US. Soon, reports trickled in of Russian soldiers fleeing or being killed and Ukraine re-taking its land.
Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to the losses by ordering a partial mobilization of his military. As many as 300,000 reservists were called up to fight in the war. That led to the mass fleeing of military-aged men in Russia. Now, at least one country has closed its border in an attempt to stop the migration.
Russians Flee
Russia’s highways are clogged as tens of thousands of citizens attempt to flee the country. Putin’s order was for reservists, but many in the country believe he is going to start drafting anyone who can carry a weapon. Satellite imagery showed a line of cars reportedly 10 miles long as citizens tried to get out of the nation.
Some people abandoned their cars and took off on foot to get away. The New York Times reported from September 19 to September 25, almost 66,000 Russians entered European Union countries. It was an increase of 30% from the previous week. However, other reports have indicated as many as 261,000 have tried to escape.
Russia has sent armored vehicles to the border points and is handing out draft orders to some of the men. The US Embassy in Moscow issued a warning telling Americans with dual citizenship to get out of the country, saying there’s little that could be done if Putin drafts them. Meanwhile, Finland has closed its border with the nation.
Russian Refugees Speak Out
One man, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of Putin’s retaliation, spoke to ABC News about what it’s like in the lines. He described them as “hellish.” He said while he isn’t currently subject to the draft, he left for fear it wouldn’t matter. “There is a risk that later you will simply find yourself in a cage,” he explained.
Another person named Yulia told a European media outlet he was afraid but really wanted someone to “stop Putin.” Others said the Russians who wanted to fight in the war have already signed up. The ones who are left are not interested in joining the fight.
The Kremlin has not said whether it plans to close its borders to prevent its citizens from fleeing.
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