Page 10 - GEORptOct22

2.3 Georgia’s border clogged with thousands of Russians fleeing the Kremlin’s mobilisation
After Vladimir Putin escalated the war in Ukraine with a mobilisation order, thousands of Russians are trying to enter Georgia to avoid being drafted and sent to the front lines in the war in Ukraine.
For the past five days, Pytor (last name withheld) has travelled back and forth between Tbilisi and Georgia’s northern border with Russia. Each morning he stops by the market near his apartment to buy bread, tomatoes, plums and water for Russians stuck in no man’s land at the border crossing. He also offers rides back to Tbilisi for any new arrivals who manage to get through passport control.
“Some of these people are trapped on the border for days without food or water. And when they cross over, their phones don't have an internet connection. Some don’t have enough money to pay for a taxi to Tbilisi or Batumi,” Pytor told bne IntelliNews standing by the road on the Georgian side of the border.
Putin announced a “partial mobilisation” on September 21 and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu clarified that some 300,000 men aged between 18 and 35 from Russia’s military reserves will be called up. Immediately thousands of Russians, mostly men, rushed to airports and land border crossings to avoid the draft and be sent into what many have dubbed the meat-grinder of fighting in Ukraine. Georgia is one of the few countries sharing a border with Russia where its citizens can enter without applying for a visa. As of September 29 a reported 260,000 Russian men have fled the country.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Republic of North Ossetia, which borders Georgia, 4,900 vehicles are waiting in line at the border. Meduza reports that as of September 27, the line of cars leading up to the border checkpoint stretched more than 20 kilometres.
Within Georgia, some are calling on the government to close the border with Russia. Georgia’s United National Movement proposed introducing an "occupation fee" for Russian citizens. Levan Bezhashvili, a member of the party's political council, called on his fellow parliamentarians to unite around the initiative. However, Georgia’s government has not yet indicated that it plans to close the border.
On the Russian side, North Ossetia's governor, Sergei Menyailo, announced on September 28 restrictions on cars coming from other regions in Russia. According to Menyailo, in the previous two days more than 20,000 people left Russia through the border with Georgia.
Meanwhile, Russian officials said that reservists attempting to leave the country will be handed their draft summons at the Upper Lars border crossing in North Ossetia. Videos posted on social media earlier this week show armoured vehicles and military trucks moving towards the border checkpoint to enforce the rule.
10 GEORGIA Country Report October 2022 www.intellinews.com