Russian Conscripts Increasingly Blocked From Leaving Country Amid Mobilization Fears

Russian conscripts are increasingly being stopped at the border as authorities tighten restrictions on leaving the country, with the latest cases fueling fears that Moscow may be preparing for another mobilization. Between Aug. 18 and 31, Russia’s human rights project “Go by the Forest” received reports from 73 conscripts who tried to leave the country. Fifty managed to cross the border, while 23 were denied exit. In several cases, the travel bans appeared only during border checks.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. One conscript who had lived in Indonesia for years returned to Russia for a two-week visit but was unable to leave again. His registry record showed a travel ban. Another was stopped at a Moscow airport despite saying he had never received a draft notice. He learned about the restriction only when he reached border control. In another case, a conscript checked the electronic registry before a Moscow-Yerevan flight and found no restrictions. Border officers nevertheless told him he was barred from leaving. Minutes later, the ban appeared in the registry. A conscript from Novosibirsk discovered he had received a draft notice only after being stopped at the airport. Although the military enlistment office later canceled the restriction, border guards stopped him again two days later because the ban remained in their system. Still, not every conscript is being blocked. One man with a draft notice for a medical examination and a valid deferment was able to fly to Yerevan because no travel ban was listed. Others successfully left Russia despite having paper draft notices. One conscript even crossed into Kazakhstan despite his registry showing a travel ban and other restrictions. Other Topics of Interest ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 3, 2026 War in Ukraine - Latest update, key takeaways and map from the Institute for the Study of War on September 3, 2026. Belarus is also becoming a less reliable route out. Of 11 conscripts who contacted “Go by the Forest” after attempting to leave through Belarus, four succeeded and seven were stopped. Putin denies new mobilization plans The tightening restrictions come as speculation grows that the Kremlin could announce another mobilization following September’s State Duma elections. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly dismissed such reports, most recently calling them an “information attack” aimed at disrupting the elections. “There is no scenario today that would require mobilization,” Putin said Thursday at the Eastern Economic Forum. He described the reports as a planned information operation. A day earlier, Putin called reports of a possible post-election mobilization “nonsense” and again rejected the possibility of a new mass call-up. Putin has insisted that Russia does not need another mobilization, claiming that Russians continue to join the military voluntarily by signing contracts with the Defense Ministry. He also claimed Russia has “no problems” recruiting troops for the war against Ukraine, while alleging that Ukraine’s armed forces are losing 8,000 to 12,000 personnel each month. He provided no evidence for the figure. Despite the Kremlin’s repeated denials, speculation about a new mobilization has intensified since the summer. Russian pro-war Z-channels reported in July that a potential forced call-up could involve as many as 1.2 million people. Western intelligence agencies have separately assessed that Russia is preparing military infrastructure to receive and equip additional recruits. The Institute for the Study of War has also reported signs of preparations for a potential new mobilization. Western intelligence officials and several European officials who spoke to The Washington Post have not ruled one out, citing Russia’s heavy battlefield losses. The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates that Russian forces have suffered at least 1.4 million casualties in Ukraine, including severely wounded troops who cannot return to service. Russia tightens the exit Russia’s electronic draft system has already been used to restrict travel. After the electronic draft-notice registry was fully launched in March, Russians began reporting that failure to appear at military enlistment offices could trigger bans on leaving the country. Authorities have also tightened coordination with Belarus. In April, a St. Petersburg conscript was stopped while attempting to leave Russia through Belarus, prompting the Movement of Conscientious Objectors to warn that border authorities in the two countries may have begun exchanging data from their military registration systems. Meanwhile, Russians appear to be rushing to leave through other routes. Amid the mobilization rumors, traffic through the Upper Lars border crossing between Russia and Georgia surged to record levels. From Aug. 15 to 18, more than 19,000–20,000 people crossed the border each day, according to Russia’s Federal Customs Service – significantly more than during comparable periods in previous years. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.