Covert Measures Against Men Of Draft Age Have Begun In Russia

• 18.08.2026, 7:50

Additional non-standard checks are being implemented.

The "Atesh" partisan movement has reported new signs pointing to the start of another major wave of mobilization in the Russian Federation. This time, it involves covert monitoring of men of draft age leaving Russia.

According to the movement, additional, non-standard checks are allegedly being conducted at airports in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg.

According to “Atesh,” men with valid documents may be subjected to additional checks, which allegedly causes some passengers to miss their boarding deadlines. However, no official travel ban is imposed on them.

According to the movement, border service officers may cite standard procedures: document checks, clarification of the purpose of the trip, or cross-referencing data against databases. After boarding is complete, passengers are allegedly given their documents back and asked to leave the airport without an official decision prohibiting their departure.

“Atesh” also claims that the authorities are allegedly trying to conduct such checks selectively so as not to cause widespread discontent or provoke a rise in panic amid talk of a possible new mobilization.