Russians are rushing to the border with neighboring Georgia after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization of military reservists for the war in Ukraine, the BBC is reporting.
Despite Russia saying reports of men fleeing are exaggerated, miles long lines of vehicles have formed at the border.
At one checkpoint, witnesses estimated the line of cars to be three miles long. And video from the site showed some drivers leaving their cars or trucks in the standstill traffic.
Newsweek reported traffic was lined up for six miles at the border.
One man told the BBC he grabbed his passport and rushed out to the border without packing anything because he fell into the group that could be sent to do battle with the Ukrainians. Georgia is one of just a few neighboring nations that people from Russia are permitted to enter without having to apply for a visa.
The Associated Press reported large numbers of Russians also rushed to reserve one-way tickets out of the country.
Flights filled so quickly that the prices of tickets for remaining connections skyrocketed. The rush to fly out was sparked by fears that Russia's borders could soon close, or of a broader call-up that might send many Russian men off fighting in the war's front lines, the AP noted.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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