In Russia, Conscripts Have Begun Complaining That They Are Unable To Leave The Country

• 3.09.2026, 18:50

Attempts by Russians to leave the country via Belarus are not always successful either.

Russian conscripts are increasingly being denied permission to leave the Russian Federation. According to the human rights project “Go Take a Hike”, between August 18 and 31, the project received reports from 73 conscripts who attempted to cross the border: 50 of them were able to leave, while 23 were not. In some cases, the ban on leaving the country was imposed directly during the border control process.

One of the conscripts, who had been living in Indonesia for several years on a residence permit, came to Russia for two weeks and was unable to return—the extract from the registry already indicated an exit ban. Another was not allowed to leave from a Moscow airport, even though he claims he never received any summonses and only learned of the ban at the border. Yet another draftee checked the registry before his flight from Moscow to Yerevan: there was no ban, but at border control he was told that his departure was restricted. After being denied boarding, he checked the registry again—a few minutes later, the ban appeared there as well. A conscript from Novosibirsk only learned of his summons after he was denied exit at the airport. The military registration and enlistment office then lifted the restrictions, but two days later he was again denied exit—the ban continued to appear on the border guards’ system.

At the same time, there are also examples of successful departures. One conscript with a summons for a medical examination and a valid deferment was able to travel to Yerevan: there was no restriction in the registry. Another left with a paper summons for a fall medical examination. Yet another crossed the land border with Kazakhstan, even though the registry showed a travel ban and other temporary restrictions for him.

Attempts to leave via Belarus are also not always successful. Eleven conscripts who had tried to leave through that country contacted the project: four succeeded, seven did not.

Travel restrictions for conscripts are being imposed alongside rumors of mobilization following the September State Duma elections. Analysts at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have written about preparations for a new mobilization; Western intelligence agencies have not ruled it out, nor have some European officials who spoke with The Washington Post. WaPo sources noted that the Kremlin might take such a step due to heavy losses on the front lines. According to CSIS estimates, Russian forces have lost at least 1.4 million personnel in Ukraine (including those seriously wounded and unable to return to duty).

In March, following the full-scale launch of the electronic summons registry, Russians began complaining that they were being prevented from traveling abroad. In April, a conscript from St. Petersburg was denied exit through Belarus, which, according to the Conscientious Objectors’ Movement (DSO), indicates that “the exchange of data from the electronic military registration system and the summons registry between the border guards of the two countries has begun.” Amid rumors of mobilization, the outflow of Russians through Verkhniy Lars into Georgia reached record levels: Between August 15 and 18, more than 19,000–20,000 people crossed the border daily, which significantly exceeds figures for similar periods in previous years, according to the Federal Customs Service.