Kremlin comments on possibility of travel ban for Russian men
The Russian authorities are currently not considering imposing travel restrictions on military age men or compiling lists of those who have already left the country amid the ongoing partial mobilization, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.
“The Kremlin has no position on this initiative, and I am not aware that this initiative is being considered by anyone,” Peskov told reporters when asked to comment on the ideas floated by the head of the Crimean State Council, Vladimir Konstantinov.
Konstantinov had proposed prohibiting Russian men who are eligible for military service from traveling abroad. He also suggested that those who had left the country after the partial mobilization was announced should be placed on a special “registry.”
The Russian government launched a partial mobilization of military reservists last month, with the Defense Ministry stating that it planned to call to arms some 300,000 people to help with the ongoing military operation in neighboring Ukraine. The call-up prioritizes people who had previously served in the military and have real combat experience.
Russia has also tightened up its criminal code, introducing stricter punishments for wartime crimes such as looting, desertion or draft-dodging. In some cases, avoiding being drafted during mobilization can land a person behind bars for up to ten years.
Since the announcement of the partial mobilization, a number of Russian citizens have opted to flee the country for neighboring states such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, and Armenia, none of which require a visa for visiting Russians. It was not immediately clear how many of those who decided to abruptly leave the country were actually eligible for the ongoing draft.
