On Wednesday, reports emerged that, amid growing fears of a possible new wave of military mobilization, tens of thousands of Russians have arrived in Georgia in recent days, with border traffic reaching record levels.
Media outlets quoted the Russian Federal Customs Service, which stated that more than 19,000 people entered Georgia through the Upper Lars checkpoint on both Saturday and Sunday, and on Tuesday, according to them, this number exceeded 20,000.
“Current figures far exceed those recorded during the corresponding periods last year,” the service was quoted by the news portal The Moscow Times.
What Georgia says
On Wednesday evening, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs denied reports that about 20,000 Russian citizens entered the country through this border checkpoint within 24 hours from August 18 to 19, calling this claim “deliberate misinformation spread by certain interested parties.”
According to the ministry, on Tuesday, 7,880 “citizens of various countries” arrived in Georgia through the Upper Lars checkpoint, while 8,406 people left the country through the same border crossing point.
What Russians fear
The Upper Lars checkpoint is the only land border crossing point between Russia and Georgia.
As reported by the Russian Telegram channel Ostorožno, novosti, citing witnesses, a huge traffic jam formed on the Russian side of the border, with vehicles moving at barely 50 meters per hour.
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This information was published after months of speculation that the Kremlin might announce another mobilization following the Russian State Duma elections in September.
The Russian investigative media outlet Viorstka reported in July, citing unnamed sources, that after the elections, the authorities could impose martial law and announce a new mobilization.
Armenia also feels the effects
Signs that some Russians may be preparing to leave the country have appeared in other states as well. As Viorstka wrote, demand for rental housing in the neighboring Armenian capital Yerevan has sharply increased.
Rental prices have risen by about 30%, and some Russians, due to a shortage of available apartments, have started looking for opportunities to share apartments with strangers.
“Overall, the situation resembles 2022,” a local real estate agent told Viorstka journalists.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously stated that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is preparing for a new mobilization, during which he plans to send an additional 300,000 to 500,000 soldiers to the front.
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