Thousands are fleeing to avoid being sent to fight in Ukraine after the Kremlin declared a partial demobilization. A businessman flew to Istanbul, Turkey on Friday after deciding not to wait to be recalled to the military. “War crimes have been committed” – most recently in Ukraine “I don’t know how to put it mildly, he (Putin) is a war criminal,” he told The Associated Press outside Istanbul’s international airport. Putin warned the West earlier this week that he would use all the weapons at his disposal and insisted he was “not bluffing” as he addressed Russia for the first time since the February 24 invasion of Ukraine. The announcement caused many one-way flights out of Moscow to sell out as the price of remaining tickets soared. Many are traveling on tourist visas but say they have no intention of returning. Russian couple Slava, 29, and Evgeniy, 35, left soon after Mr Putin said it was uncertain whether they could be called up to fight in the future. Image: A map showing the countries to which Russian citizens seeking refuge are fleeing. “At this stage we are not in demand – but we don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow,” Slava said. “We don’t support what’s happening now. We don’t want to be a part of it.” Relatives broke down in tears after the couple made the “difficult decision” to run away, leaving their dog behind with friends. “We have plans, we have careers. The best scenario is to come back,” Slava told Reuters news agency. “On the other hand, saving our lives is necessary.” Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 0:38 “I don’t want my taxes to go to this war” Meanwhile, Russian student Max, 21, said he was traveling through Finland to visit relatives in Germany. Speaking from the crossing point in Vaalimaa, where queues are longer than normal, he said: “Technically I’m a student so I shouldn’t be afraid of being drafted, but we’ve seen things change very quickly, so I guess there’s an opportunity. “I just wanted to be safe.” “Medical exemption goes on sale” Russian Telegram channels claiming to sell cards exempting people from Russian military service emerged after Mr Putin’s announcement. Avoiding draft is illegal in Russia. However, conscripts can defer their service in certain circumstances, including medical incapacity. And some operators tried to take advantage of this by claiming to illegally sell this paper – known as a “white ticket” – on the Internet for large sums. Image: Medical exemption cards sold online after Kremlin calls for partial mobilization A channel called “Buy White Ticket” used an image of the logo of the Russian Ministry of Defense with the words “Not Serve” written on it in Russian. A post shared on the channel on Friday roughly translates to: “We know you don’t want to go and die. “But this is the reality of 2022, so we have a solution for you. Write soon, you will get help with your problem.” The page has over 42,000 subscribers and was created two years ago. However, she had posted just three times before today, all unrelated to the military. This could indicate that the channel may have been refreshed recently. An earlier ad posted on another channel on Tuesday, as rumors of mobilization began to circulate, said: “Mobilization and military protection for all ages. “No matter what age you are, you’ll never be called up for training or mobilization. You’ll just be forgotten.” Image: A post shared on Russian Telegram channels advertising medical exemptions The post says customers can expect to pay between 30,000 and 80,000 rubles for the service, which equates to between £450 and £1,250. It is difficult to tell whether the operators who post these ads are actually providing the criminal service they claim to be offering or are peddling a scam. Russian media are wary, warning readers of “fraudsters” and “swindlers” operating online. Crowds are heading towards the Finnish border The Finnish border agency said nearly 6,500 Russians crossed the eastern land border on Thursday, with heavy traffic in the area. It is more than double the 3,000 arrivals recorded on Monday – as media reports in Finland say the government is set to restrict access to Russian tourists. The border agency tried to reassure people by saying they are “thoroughly vetting every arrival” with guards inspecting passports, visas, luggage, cash and cars. However, the Czech Republic has said it will not issue humanitarian visas to Russian citizens. Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said: “I understand that Russians are fleeing from increasingly desperate decisions by Putin. “But those who run because they don’t want to fulfill a duty imposed by their government … do not qualify for a humanitarian visa.” Image: Cars queue to cross the border from Russia to Finland at the Vaalimaa border checkpoint in Virolahti Photo: AP Image: Cars waiting at the Nuijamaa border checkpoint in Lappeenranta, Finland Photo: AP Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland also said they would not offer asylum to fleeing Russians. Meanwhile, religious leaders in Uzbekistan warned people not to get involved in the war because it would be against the Islamic faith. Russia has offered fast-track citizenship to foreign nationals who agree to fight. Read more: Eyewitness: Ukrainian mothers desperate to find children sent to Russian holiday camp Explanation: Will Russia use nuclear weapons? Five Britons freed by Russia in prisoner swap return to families However, the Uzbek Muslim Council said “terrorist organizations” were recruiting Muslims for war under the banner of “holy war” or “jihad”. Muslims are only allowed to register for military action if they are defending their homeland, and defying this rule could lead to criminal prosecution.
