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Fewer Russians have crossed into neighbouring countries in recent days, according to local authorities, despite persistent anxiety over the partial mobilization the Kremlin launched less than two weeks ago to bolster its forces fighting in Ukraine.
The mass exodus of Russian men — alone or with their families or friends — began Sept. 21, shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the partial call-up of reservists. In Russia, the vast majority of men under age 65 are registered as reservists, so airline tickets to destinations abroad sold out within hours. Shortly after that, long lines of cars formed on roads leading to Russia’s borders.
Over 194,000 Russians had entered Kazakhstan, Georgia and Finland by Tuesday. It wasn’t possible to discern how many of them fled the military call-up and how many traveled for other reasons, but the numbers were much higher than those before the call-up.
According to officials from all three countries, by the end of the week the influx had decreased. It was not clear if this was related to the temporary military recruitment centers that Russian authorities hastily set up along land borders or to the policy of turning men away from the borders, citing mobilization laws.
Finland on Friday barred Russians with tourist visas from entering the country, and only 1,688 Russians were able to cross by land into the Nordic country that day, compared to 5,262 on Thursday and over 8,000 each day the previous weekend, according to the Finnish Border Guard.
