200,000 Russians flee Putin’s draft

 

Over 194,000 Russians have fled to neighboring countries in the week since President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial military call-up to bolster the war against Ukraine. [AP / Dasha Litvinova] Many ventured overland to Kazakhstan and Georgia, while some who could afford airline tickets traveled to Turkey, out of fear the Kremlin could begin drafting every man. [Washington Post / Kareem Fahim, Zeynep Karatas, and Robyn Dixon] Russian federal security forces sent armored vehicles to border crossings Tuesday to issue draft notices to departing reservists. [New York Times / Marc Santora, Andrew E. Kramer, and Eric Nagourney] Meanwhile, hundreds of Ukrainians escaped Russian-occupied parts of the country as Russia staged sham referendums to drum up support for annexation. [Reuters / Jonathan Landay]