Vladimir Putin’s September 21 mobilization announcement sparked a massive new wave of emigration out of Russia; in early October, Forbes Russia reported that roughly 700,000 people had left the country in the previous two weeks (the Kremlin has denied that the real number is that high). Other potential conscripts, unable or unwilling to leave the country altogether, have gone into hiding domestically.
One man in the latter group is an IT specialist from southern Russia. Rather than escaping to a hotel or hostel, which are liable to be raided by the authorities, he’s spent the last few weeks camping in the forest — and has kept a public record of his experience on Telegram. The independent Russian outlet Mediazona got in touch with the anonymous outdoorsman to find out why he chose the wilderness over migration. Meduza summarizes their interview.
Russian IT specialist hides in the forest to escape draft orderRead More
