PANIC

Flights Out of Russia Sell Out After Putin Orders Military Call-Up

Airlines in the country are also refusing to sell tickets to men aged 18 to 65, according to reports.

Airline tickets out of Russia are rapidly selling out after Putin triggered mass panic by announcing a historic military call-up on Wednesday. The Russian leader used a televised speech to unveil plans for 300,000 reservists to be sent to Ukraine, sparking fears that further call-ups for men of fighting age could soon be on the way. One-way flights out of the country quickly shot up in price due to overheating demand, while flights from Moscow to some destinations which allow Russians to enter without a visa—including Istanbul in Turkey and Yerevan in Armenia—completely sold out on Wednesday, Aviasales data shows. Some aviation industry reports also suggest that Russian airlines have been ordered to stop selling tickets to men aged between 18 and 65 unless they’re able to show evidence that they’ve been allowed by the ministry of defense to leave the country.