Russian Authorities today acknowledged a “large” flow of vehicles bound for Georgia, some 2,300 vehicles at one border crossing, three days after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the partial mobilization of hundreds of thousands of Russians to fight in Ukraine.

“There is a large accumulation of personal vehicles, about 2,300 units in total, which arrived in the Republic of North Ossetia and stand in line at the Verkhny Lars checkpoint,” the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian republic bordering Georgia said.

The influx has made “customs clearance difficult,” the ministry added, urging Russians not to seek to leave the country.

The ministry did not say by what percentage the number of cars at the border exceeds the usual, but said the deployment of additional police officers to “ensure road safety.”

The call-up announcement caused many Russians to seek plane tickets to leave the country, and many feared being called to the front.

Although the Russians fear a possible border closure in the near future, there is also heavy traffic at the land crossings.

In addition to Georgia, the border with Kazakhstan and Mongolia also saw influx after the call was announced, with some reports of waiting hours at times to cross the border.

On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said reports of Russians “withdrawing” were “grossly exaggerated.”

Source: RES