Prices Of One-Way Flights Out Of Russia Soar To $5,000 After Vladimir Putin Mobilization Decree

Over a week after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement of a partial military mobilization, prices for airline tickets out of Russia have skyrocketed, as more and more Russians attempt to escape getting drafted to fight the Russia-Ukraine war.

One-way airplane rides out of Russia into Dubai, which typically cost US$350, have now skyrocketed to somewhere between US$2,577 and US$4,773 for an economy ticket, with some airplane rides with layovers selling at more than triple the price at US$988 to US$1,040 per seat, according to CNBC.

Even private planes rates out of the country have skyrocketed, with a higher market fee of US$21,300 to US$26,600 just to be able to get a seat on a private plane.

“Russians gettin’ outta dodge,” risk consultancy Eurasia Group CEO Ian Bremmer said.

“Flights [from Russia] to Dubai are fully booked for the next three-four days and the prices are crazy. Flights to Istanbul are full as well, flights to [Armenian capital] Yerevan are crazy expensive. I know five, six people who arrived in Dubai just a few days ago. They paid insane prices,” a Russian national living in Dubai said.

With the prices of airplane tickets out of the country escalating and the lines at the land borders of Russia lengthening, the escape attempt of many eligible Russians afraid of potentially getting drafted to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war continues, with many reports coming out that even those who weren’t within the parameters of the partial military mobilization are getting draft notices.

“People are saying their friends have already gotten draft letters [despite having no military experience],” a pilot said. “so this story that Russia is only mobilizing people with military experience is bulls***.”

Many fleeing Russians are worried as to what will happen once the allowed time to be in countries like Kazakhstan or UAE without a visa or with only a tourist visa expires, causing some of the countries to declare that they will ensure the safety of the Russians who fled to their countries, al-Jazeera reported.

“Most of them have to leave because of the hopeless situation. We have to take care of them and secure their safety,” Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.