Since President Putin declared partial mobilization last Wednesday, thousands of Russians have fled their homeland. In the course of four days, as many as 261,000 Russians may have left Russia, Novaya Gazeta’s European online edition reported on Sunday. Pictures from the border station towards Georgia have shown huge queues of cars in recent days. The mass exodus has also led to increased traffic over the Storskog border station in Finnmark. But this afternoon it suddenly became quieter, according to the police in Finnmark. – About. at 1pm today we went from having very high traffic to having very low traffic. Given the traffic over the past few days and the past week, there was a sudden change in traffic. This is according to section leader for operational immigration control in Finnmark police district, Sølve Solheim. On Tuesday, a total of 458 people entered across the border to Norway, while 140 traveled out. The police in Finnmark have not received any signals from the Russian authorities as to why the traffic has suddenly changed. Tightening on the border with Georgia At the same time that traffic has fallen sharply on Storskog, the news agency AFP reports that Russia is restricting people’s access to the border area with Georgia. The border crossing is located in the Russian Republic of North Ossetia. Here, restrictions are now being introduced on how many cars can drive towards the border station. Governor Sergei Menyailo says it was necessary to introduce measures after 20,000 people crossed the border in two days. – We cannot ensure security if this continues, he writes on Telegram. The region is now on high alert and fewer cars will be allowed in, he says. Russian authorities announced on Wednesday that men who have been called up for military service will not be issued passports, writes the AFP news agency. Long queues on the Russian side of the border with Georgia. 10,000 Russians have crossed the border in recent days. Photo: TASS / SipaUSA Researcher: First sign that Russia is tightening up – This could be the first sign that the Russian authorities want to limit the flight out of Russia, says professor at the Department of Defense Studies, Katarzyna Zysk. She also points out that Russia has announced that a temporary recruitment office will be set up at the border station with Georgia. The Russian authorities believe they are completely dependent on the success of the mobilization in order to achieve their goals in Ukraine, says Zysk. Today, it is primarily to gain control over the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. The mobilization shows that the war is going badly and that the authorities are desperate. Professor at the Department of Defense Studies Katarzyna Zysk. Photo: The Armed Forces – There is a great need for new soldiers. The wear and tear is enormous. The soldiers are exhausted and need a break. The images of endless queues of Russians leaving their homeland are bad news for the authorities. – It looks very bad both inside Russia and outside the country’s borders. It shows that the war is not popular. Support for a war they have to fight themselves is minimal, says Zysk. On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no decision had been taken to close Russia’s borders to men in certain age groups. – I know nothing about this. No decisions have been made as of today, he said.
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