Flights leaving Russia sell out after Putin's announcement
Topics: Russia, Vladimir Putin, Ukraine
Callum Jones
Featured Image Credit: Victoria Victoria / Alamy Stock Photo Asar Studios / Alamy Stock Photo
Topics: Russia, Vladimir Putin, Ukraine
Following Russian President Vladimir Putin announcing a partial mobilisation of its forces in its war against Ukraine, many Russians are fleeing their homes.
In the televised address yesterday (20 September), the Russian President ordered the country's first mobilisation since World War II and that has worried many Russian people.
As a result, many have decided to leave the country to avoid having to go to the war in Ukraine.
This has led to flights from Russia to countries such that don't require a visa to enter as Turkey sky-rocket in price and even sell out.
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According to Russian outlet RBC, direct flights from Moscow to Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia have sold out until at least Saturday (24 September).
In the same post on Telegram, RBC also said Russian airlines Aeroflot and S7 are not imposing any restrictions on sales following Putin's announcement.
Tickets may still be available to leave Russia on Sunday (24 September), but they cost an astonishing price.
With Turkish Airlines, a direct flight one-way from Moscow to Istanbul costs just over £1,100 for the four-and-a-half hour flight.
Before Putin's announcement last night, that ticket cost around £300 - a staggering £800 less than it is now.
Putin's televised address has seemingly sent a lot of Russians into panic as the potential of them being involved in the war increases.
In his speech last night, the Russian President said: "To protect our motherland, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to ensure the safety of our people and people in the liberated territories, I consider it necessary to support the proposal of the defence ministry and the General Staff to conduct a partial mobilisation in the Russian Federation."
"We are talking about partial mobilisation. That is, only citizens who are currently in the reserves and, above all, those who have served in the armed forces have military skills and relevant experience. Only they will be subject to conscription."
He continued: "Conscripts will obligatorily go through additional military training based on the experience of the special military operation before departing to the units,” Putin said, according to an Associated Press news agency translation."
The Russian President did not provide too much detail on the conscription aside from that it will start today (21 September).
Russia's Defence Minister, Sergei Shoigu, said in the televised remark he expected 300,000 to be called up.
This is from the country's vast reserves pool of around 25 million people - meaning around 1 percent will be drafted into battle.