Departures Spike on Direct Flights Leaving Russia Following Putin's Warning towards Ukraine
In a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a 'partial mobilization' yesterday, summoning 300,000 reservists in a significant escalation of his invasion of Ukraine. This announcement has led to a surge in bookings for cheap flights out of Russia, as per airline and travel agent data.
Reuters reported that the spike in Google Trends for Aviasales, Russia's most popular travel site, followed the sharing of a clip by the international flight tracking service FlightRadar24 revealing one-way flights leaving Russia. The countries that announced the most flights to Russia in recent days after President Vladimir Putin declared partial mobilization are not explicitly listed in the provided search results. However, it is known that Russian domestic flights have resumed and Aeroflot offers up to five daily flights from Moscow and connections from six other Russian cities, indicating increased internal flight activity.
The statement was made after media reports claiming that the Russian President's address raised concerns that martial law might be enforced and men of fighting age would not be allowed to leave Russia. Flights between Russia and the European Union have been closed since Putin announced Moscow's 'special armed forces operation' in Ukraine.
Putin emphasized that his statement was not a bluff. He stated that all methods will be used to protect Russia and its people if the territorial stability is endangered. The data on the booking of flights out of Russia was reported on Wednesday, and the statement was made in the same context.
The closure of flights between Russia and the European Union was reported by AFP. The spike in bookings for flights out of Russia and the skyrocketing of ticket prices were also reported on Wednesday. One-way flights out of Russia have sold out, and ticket prices have skyrocketed, a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin's call for mobilization.
Putin's statement was made in a televised national address on Wednesday. The international flight tracking service FlightRadar24 shared a clip revealing one-way flights leaving Russia, adding to the growing concern and uncertainty.
As the situation continues to develop, it is clear that many Russians are seeking to leave the country, leading to a surge in bookings and a rise in ticket prices. The full implications of this mobilization and its impact on Russia and the wider world remain to be seen.
