Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up PRAGUE, Sept 22 (Reuters) – The Czech Republic will not issue humanitarian visas to Russian citizens fleeing mobilization orders, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on Thursday. Many Russians are trying to leave their country after President Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization on Wednesday as Russian forces fighting in Ukraine have suffered heavy casualties. read more “I understand that Russians are fleeing increasingly desperate decisions by Putin. But those who run because they do not want to fulfill a duty imposed by their government do not meet the criteria for a humanitarian visa,” Lipavsky told Reuters. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up His stance was in line with that of fellow European Union members Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, which border Russia, which said on Wednesday they would not offer sanctuary to any Russian fleeing Moscow’s troop mobilization. read more One-way flights from Russia were skyrocketing in price and quickly sold out after Putin ordered the immediate call-up of 300,000 reservists. read more Finland said on Thursday it was considering barring most Russians from entering the country as border traffic from its eastern neighbor “intensified” following Putin’s mobilization order. read more Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Reporting by Robert Muller Editing by Alistair Bell Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
