Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to clean up Russian society after four private jets left Russia for the Middle East.
Oliver Alexander observed the four jets leaving Moscow on Thursday morning. He described it as an "exodus".
—Oliver Alexander (@OAlexanderDK) March 17, 2022
The routes the jets took were verified by Insider.
It's not clear who was on the planes or why they were going to a place that doesn't ban Russian air traffic.
Private jets were seen going from Russia to Israel earlier this month as Western sanctions on Russian billionaires began to bite.
Insider previously reported that thousands of people have tried to flee Russia since it started its invasion of Ukraine, fearing what life there would be like as it is increasingly isolated from the rest of the world.
Some Russians who left told Sophia Ankel that they left because they were afraid of being arrested, and that they were also afraid of Russia's economic situation after so many countries implemented sanctions over the invasion.
Putin said in a speech on Wednesday that Russia has to clean up its act after the invasion of Ukraine.
He said that the collective West was trying to splinter our society by speculating on military losses and the effects of sanctions.
The Russian people are able to distinguish true patriots from traitors and will spit them out, so he appeared to threaten people who were not supportive of the government.
I am certain that this necessary and natural self-cleaning of society will strengthen our country, our solidarity, togetherness, and our readiness to answer any calls to action, he continued.
In his speech, Putin mentioned wealthy Russians who are used to eating oysters and foie gras, as well as those with properties in France or the US.
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