Mesmerising Flightradar timelapse shows all the flights leaving Russia in one day
A fascinating timelapse of all the flights leaving Russia in a single day has been shared, and viewers can't help but be amazed by it.
Flight tracker Flightradar24 posted the timelapse of flights leaving the country from the late hours of Tuesday (20 September) into Wednesday (21 September), coming shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced reservists would be called up to fight in Ukraine.
Watch the mesmerising footage below:
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Countless planes are seen leaving Moscow and St Petersburg, with many heading to the Turkish capital, Istanbul. Other popular flights are seen heading to countries such as Azerbaijan and Armenia.
So, why are all these flights heading off in such a hurry?
Well, the tracker provided by Flightradar24 starts as Russian President Vladimir Putin's addresses the nation.
In that speech, he announced a partial mobilisation of Russian forces in its war in Ukraine – meaning more people will be drafted to the frontline.
As a result, many Russians have fled the country, and many plane tickets subsequently sold-out. Russians are choosing countries such as Turkey and Armenia as they do not require a visa to enter.
With the high supply-and-demand, ticket prices have also skyrocketed to unprecedented heights.
Take Turkish Airlines for example, before Putin's announcement on Wednesday, 21 September, a one-way ticket from Moscow to Istanbul would cost around £300. Now, that same four-and-a-half hour journey costs a staggering £1,100.
Vladimir Putin has seemingly sent many Russians into panic mode after his latest move in the country's war against Ukraine.
In the address televised, he 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."
He continued: "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.
"Conscripts will obligatorily go through additional military training based on the experience of the special military operation before departing to the units,” the Russian president said, according to an Associated Press news agency translation.
Russia's Defence Minister, Sergei Shoigu, added to his boss' comments in the televised remark by saying he expected 300,000 Russians to be called up.
Back on home soil, UK Defence Minister James Heappey said the Russian president is 'rattled' by his troops' ongoing struggles in Ukraine.
If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information
Topics: Russia, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin
Callum Jones