Russia expected to ban men of military age from leaving the country as thousands try to flee Putin's call-up, report says

According to a Meduza report, the Russian government is going to close the borders to military men to stop them from leaving the country.

Two sources in the Kremlin were cited by Meduza.

The ban is expected to be introduced on September 28 according to one source.

The source said that the ban would come into effect after the referendums took place. On September 27th, the polls close.

The minimum age for military service in Russia is 18. Men between the ages of 18 and 27 are subject to compulsory military service. Russian men are allowed to serve up to 40 years old, while foreigners are allowed to serve up to 30 years old.

Meduza reported that the ban would allow a small group of men of age to leave the country. Men of military age would have to get permission from their enlistment offices to get these visas.

Russian men have been trying to leave the country since Putin ordered a partial military deployment.

Plane tickets went up in price or sold out at the land border crossing, according to an Insider. After the declaration, searches for "how to leave Russia" spiked.

There are limited options to leave the country. According to The Guardian, four of the five EU countries bordering Russia have stopped allowing Russians to enter on tourist visas.

Those with combat experience will be prioritized over others when Russia mobilizes 300,000 reserves. Soldiers who surrender, desert, or refuse to fight can be imprisoned for up to 10 years under a new decree signed by Putin on Saturday.

According to reports, men are being called up who aren't suitable for the job. Insider reported that a 63-year-old with diabetes and a 17-year-old boy were drafted to fight in Ukraine.

There were protests in Russia after the decree. According to OVD-Info, more than 800 protesters were arrested in 34 different cities in Russia.