Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “partial mobilisation” order has led to an unprecedented exodus of people from the country. In a bid to escape conscription, people are attempting to flee, trying to cross the borders by road or fly out after purchasing exorbitantly-priced plane tickets.
Now, reports suggest that Russia has decided to exempt some bankers, IT workers and journalists from being drafted into the army. The defence ministry on Friday announced some employees working in critically important industries would be excluded from the draft. The move aims to ensure that the work of specific high-tech industries, as well as Russia’s financial system are not hampered.
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The exceptions apply to some IT workers, telecommunications workers, finance professionals, as well as some employees at “systemically-important” mass media outlets. Companies that meet certain thresholds in terms of headcount, revenue or annual tax payments are categorised as “systemically-important”.
State-run TV channels, radio stations, news agencies, newspapers, and some of Russia’s few privately-held media outlets are part of the list. The ministry has asked heads of companies to draw up lists of their employees who meet the criteria and can be excluded from the draft.
Russia has announced that 300,000 reservists will be called up to fight in Ukraine. Protests broke out following the announcement, with several of them being served draft papers immediately. Video footage shows long lines of traffic formed at land border crossings into several countries.
Traffic into Finland over its border with Russia was heavy on Friday. But the Finnish government, wary of becoming a major transit nation, plans to stop all Russians from entering on tourist visas within the coming days, Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told a news conference in New York.
About 7,000 people entered from Russia on Thursday, some 6,000 of them Russian, according to the border guards.
(With inputs from agencies)
