Following Vladimir Putin’s announcement of a partial mobilization of military reservists for the war in Ukraine, a large number of Russians have hurried to reserve one-way tickets out of the country.
The cost of flights scheduled to depart Moscow in the next several days has reportedly increased due to concerns that Russia’s borders may soon close or that a wider call-up may send many Russian men of fighting age to the front lines of the war.
Tickets for the Moscow-Belgrade flights operated by Air Serbia, the only European carrier besides Turkish Airlines to maintain flights to Russia despite a European Union flight embargo, have sold out for the next several days.
The price for flights from Moscow to Istanbul or Dubai increased within minutes before jumping again, reaching 9,200 euros (£8,037) for a one-way economy class fare.
The Russian president’s decree stipulates that the number of people called to active duty will be determined by the defense ministry.
Defense minister Sergei Shoigu said in a televised interview that 300,000 reservists with relevant combat and service experience would initially be mobilized.
Up to 50,000 Russians have fled to Serbia since Russia invaded Ukraine and many have opened businesses, especially in the IT sector.