More people have likely fled Russia than invaded Ukraine in February, says UK intelligence

29 September 2022, 16:30

More people have fled Russia in the seven days since Vladimir Putin announced a new draft than invaded Ukraine in February, according to UK intelligence.

In the Ministry of Defence's latest update on the situation in Ukraine, posted on Twitter, the Ministry says that the better-off and well-educated are "overrepresented" amongst those attempting to leave Russia.

The Ministry believes that this will have domestic economic impacts, accelerating a 'brain drain'.

Young educated Russians were already leaving the country before the draft announcement, with one telling CNBC earlier this year that the "erosion of politics and freedom" over several years prompted him to relocate his family to France for the "safety" of his family.

In response to queues at Russia's borders, the Kremlin has reportedly opened draft offices on the border to intercept fleeing conscripts.

The intelligence update comes as Vladimir Putin prepares to formally declare four regions of Ukraine as Russian territory, following sham referendums condemned by the international community.

Read more: Ageing conscripts dispatched by Putin to fight on front lines in Ukraine

Read more: Putin to annex four more areas of Ukraine following sham referendums

There were reports of election officials going door to door escorted by armed soldiers while voting was taking place.

Seven months after Russia invaded Ukraine it has failed to achieve its aims of taking over the country and its government, and Ukraine has even managed to take back Russian occupied territory in recent as a result of successful counter offensives.