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TZUTC: 0200
Flights from Russia are fully booked due to concerns among the Russian
population over the partial mobilization announced by President Vladimir
Putin. This concerns, for example, flights to Turkey and Armenia. Russians can
travel to those countries without a visa.
 
There are concerns that men will be forced to fight in Ukraine. The
mobilization will allow Russia to call up 300,000 reservists for the fight in
Ukraine. It is the first time since World War II that Russia has mobilized.
 
According to Turkish Airlines, one-way flights from Moscow's Vnukovo Airport
to Istanbul, Ankara and Antalya are sold out for the next three to four days.
Turkish Airlines says it will increase capacity for Thursday and Friday. The
Turkish airline Pegasus also sells out flights from Moscow to Istanbul and
other destinations in Turkey.
 
According to data from the Russian airline Aviasales, direct flights from
Moscow to the Armenian capital Yerevan are also sold out, as are tickets to
the Georgian capital Tbilisi and to Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Flights from
Russia to Dubai and the Serbian capital Belgrade are also in high demand.
 
The cheapest flights from Moscow to Istanbul now cost more than 80,000 rubles,
or 1,328 euros. Prices rose to as much as 173,000 rubles, according to the
Turkish Airlines website.
 
Also, on the internet a lot of searches are said for the search terms
"tickets", "airplanes" and "how to leave Russia". It is feared that Moscow
will close its borders to men who can be called up in the mobilization.
 
The head of Russia's tourism office says no restrictions have yet been imposed
on travel abroad. The Russian railway company and national airline Aeroflot
state that there is still no ban on letting men on board for travel to foreign
destinations.

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