Over 113,000 Russians flee to Georgia as fears of a new military mobilization wave grow.
More than 113,000 Russians crossed the Verkhny Lars checkpoint into Georgia in a single week, driven by rumors of an upcoming military mobilization. On August 20 alone, over 20,000 people moved across the border, significantly exceeding previous years' levels. This influx of people is causing a sharp increase in demand for long-term apartment rentals in Tbilisi and Yerevan, with demand rising up to 30% higher than the same period last year. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that the Kremlin could seek to mobilize hundreds of thousands of citizens by the end of the year, Russian authorities have officially denied these plans. Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, stated that a new mobilization is not planned and not expected. Despite the official denials, Russians are increasingly moving money to Georgia, with ruble-denominated deposits in Georgian banks rising 32.9% in July. The move reflects growing public anxiety as Russia faces heavy battlefield losses in Ukraine and economic deterioration.