The Conversation (0)
Ariana Baio
Sep 23, 2022
'I will go anywhere but Russia': Fleeing Russians arrive in Georgia
Video
Russian reservists were unexpectedly called to war by President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday leading to a chaotic scene on a military airfield.
Francis Scarr, a journalist keeping up with Russian State TV, tweeted a video of some men arriving for training at a Russian seemingly drunk.
One man stumbled across the runway carrying some gear in a backpack and plastic bag.
Another stood in the background of the video throwing his hands up in the air and yelling.
Then off to the side, laying in the tall grass, was one man supposedly passed out drunk.
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"Absolute scenes at an airfield in Russia's Far East," Scarr wrote. "One man mobilised to fight in the Ukraine was so drunk that he reportedly fell asleep in the long grass next to the runway."
Putin's mobilization of troops has led to tons of Russians fleeing the country out of fear of a conscription.
\u201cAbsolute scenes at an airfield in Russia's Far East where one man mobilised to fight in Ukraine was so drunk that he reportedly fell asleep in the long grass next to the runway\u201d— Francis Scarr (@Francis Scarr) 1663937966
Although the video seemed humorous, it was a dark reminder of the terrors that lie ahead for those being forced to fight in the Ukraine war.
Anti-war protests erupted in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other cities around Russia. Over 1200 people were arrested on Wednesday alone.
\u201cAgain not liking the vibes here\u201d— Centrist \ud83e\udd1dMadness (@Centrist \ud83e\udd1dMadness) 1663948821
"I get that it seems funny to laugh at drunken Russian conscripts but these guys don’t want to fight and they’re most likely terrified," a Twitter user wrote.
\u201c@francis_scarr If drafted, I will absolute fall asleep next to the runway, wake up after everyone is gone and wander off vaguely in the direction of Alaska\u201d— Francis Scarr (@Francis Scarr) 1663937966
Other journalists reported what the scene from inside Russia looked like following Putin's announcement.
\u201cIn Buratiya, male uni students are being taken straight out of classes. Some schools have closed and turned into enlistment offices. Men are being rounded up and conscripted from small villages. \n\nThis will all look *very* different in Russia's ethnic republics than in Moscow.\u201d— Ilya Lozovsky (@Ilya Lozovsky) 1663848751
Families were forced to say goodbye to their loved ones as they reported for duty.
\u201cFirst clips coming out of Russia this morning of draftees saying bye to their families. This from a small town in Yakutsk. Credits @taygainfo\u201d— Pjotr Sauer (@Pjotr Sauer) 1663834950
\u201cThis scene was repeated in every town and city in #Russia today, as tens of thousands of men left their families and boarded busses and planes, headed into combat against #Ukraine . The scale and speed of this mobilization of 300,000 men is staggering.\u201d— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie Garrett) 1663882850
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