Russians Flee to Avoid The War in Ukraine

ALBAWABA - Russians are fleeing the country and it is being documented on the social media with video clips and images.

Their desire to pack up and go started when Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization of civilians into the military for his war in Ukraine according to UPI.

In turn Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered 300,000 troops to be called up immediately on Wednesday with 10 years imprisonment for refusal of service, the US news agency stated.

Videos of queues of cars getting ready to leave the country has been rife since Wednesday. They are under different hashtags with many pointing their hoods to Finland. 

But many are flying as well to neighboring countries. Dmitri flew to Armenia with just one small bag, leaving behind his wife and children, adding to the thousands fleeing Russia to avoid serving in the war against Ukraine according to AFP. "I don't want to go to the war," he told AFP. "I don't want to die in this senseless war. This is a fratricidal war."

There is certainly an exodus: "The situation in Russia would make anyone want to leave," said another new arrival, 44-year-old Sergei, who arrived with his teenage son. Looking lost and exhausted in an Armenian airport, he confirmed that they had fled "because of the mobilisation", but refused to give his full name.

Meanwhile Germany is ready to grant asylum to Russian deserters who oppose their country’s partial mobilization, the country’s interior minister said Thursday. "Deserters threatened with serious repression can as a rule obtain international protection in Germany," Nancy Faeser told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper and as reported by Anadolu. 

"Anyone who courageously opposes (Russian President) Vladimir Putin's regime and thereby falls into great danger can apply for asylum (in Germany) on the grounds of political persecution,” she noted the Turkish news agency quoted her as saying and added that Berlin has been accepting Russian who have been persecuted by Moscow for months. 

Finally, Russians are moving to the border with Georgia where the tail queue of cars reached 14 kilometers. The mobilization law that has just criminalized those who try to run away from the army is being met with great resistance as demonstrations have taken place against it in more than 40 Russian towns and cities.