"I am a refugee, and at the same time the aggressor" That hit hard...

The problem for Russia is the people leaving are the productive, educated ones

That is not a protest. That is fear.

These men are heros. Leaving to avoid murdering their neighbors is very commendable. I wish them well. ♡

Doctors, i.t. people, imagine the brain drain that Putin has caused.

"How can I take part in the war without a wish to win this war." My thoughts exactly. Well said. Keep safe you all.

I felt the same way in 1970, I didn't want any thing to do with Vietnam but I found myself there anyway

Wherever these men can get to for safety I pray that they make it there. This is heartbreaking and no one deserves this. Not the Russian citizens nor the Ukrainians.

Take Putin out before he takes us all out.

I guess the "Motherland" is now the "Wasteland". Glad to see some Russians standing up though 👍

Thanks good guys. You all have taken right ways. GOD BLESS U ALL

Oh, wow! Crossing the Bering strait to Alaska! That's really, really amazing.

Kazakhstan will welcome anyone that needs help ❤ Kazakhstan loves Ukrainians and Russians that are for peace ✌️ ❤❤❤

I'm proud of those young men who refuse to fight for the ego and greed of old men Who soon will die. Those young men and women are the real heroes of the world

Excellent film work and reporting thank you for all your services all over the world.

This' the sorta thing that can occur whenever an individual has that much power without any check-and-balance system in place.

700k have left as of 2 days ago. If you draft 300k, then this is 1million people of economically productive age. There are approx 80million Russians between 24 and 65. This means that 1 in 80 potential workers have left so far!!!! And these are the brightest and best, so they are probably 1 in 10 of the best Russia has. That is 100s of billions in lost productivity for Russia. This might actually hurt the economy more than the sanctions!

They don't want to be canon fodder for a man who clearly couldn't care less about their fates. Can you blame them for leaving their Motherland?

Thanks God that they choose the right path. Please protect them and their loved ones.

Bless them

Russia is losing so many of its most talented young people. Many have gone to Finland, Georgia, Sweden and Kazakhstan. That is an intangible loss that isn't being factored into the impacts of this war on the Russian economy today and in the future

as a 36 year old man.... i couldnt imagine the stress and sadness of having to abandon everything you know for lands unknown... with no plan.... to avoid a war you dont even want.... i hope you all stay safe and all innocent people caught up in this invasion eventually find peace

Recruit: but I've got Bone Spurs. Recruiter: WTF is a Bone Spur?

how can one human cause so much discord and misery to so many people!!

This is the best way to say, NO to WAR.

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire

"Draft Dodger" has a nice ring to it.

Imagine one person doing this.

"How can I take part in war without a wish to win this war" WOW this says sooo much. Heart isn't in it.

Those who do not make it and are forced into service should seriously consider a revolt.

I feel sympathetic for these young man… stay safe.

Those refusing to fight an unjustified war are heroes in the free worlds eyes and hearts! 👍

All of the police and recruitment officers chasing these men should be sent to the front instead.

How did one man get so much power. He must be taken out.

First russians kept quiet IN PROTEST of the war. Now they're silently fleeing russia IN PROTEST of mobilization. Truly a heroic nation 10/10 would befriend again 👍

That is not a protest, that is just cowardliness

Educated, savvy, English-speaking - a gift to those countries needing skilled labour. I wish them well.

Victory to Ukraine 🇺🇦 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇵🇱🇨🇦🇩🇪🇸🇪🇫🇮🇫🇷🇰🇿🇦🇺🇯🇵🇹🇼🇰🇷

There is an age old saying; FOR EVIL TO PREVAIL IT ONLY TAKES GOOD MEN TO DO NOTHING

Did he just call himself a refugee??? That's a sick joke. NO Russian leaving is a refugee. What a disgusting thing to say. How dare he.

Thank you Russian people, for realizing Putin is a "madman"

How do you ask someone to die in an unnecessary narcissist’s war?? I’m betting that they would fight if they were unjustly attacked.a very different thing.

Matthew 12:25 "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand."

"I am a refugee, and, the aggressor." Interesting point.

Dear Mr. Putins : Tank you for being the single Best RECRUITER for NATO/OTAN with once neutral Finland and Sweden signing up and soon joining NATO/OTAN and hopefully Ukraine will soon follow suit. We would also like to tank you for being the single best ARMs & Munitions provider to Ukraine. Again tanks a million cause we couldn't have done it without you. Sincerely yours, the FREE & Independent and Sovereign people of Ukraine!

"When I look into Putins 👁 👁 eyes I see the KGB." Republican Senator John McCain/The last of The Good Republicans R.I.P.

To call the orcs scum is an insult to scum. Glory to Ukraine!🇺🇦

RUN FOREST RUN!

At the same time teenagers in Iran are risking their lives protesting another regime.

Instead of fleeing they should be trying to over throw him

correction: not protest, saving their skin

They need to.

I salute these men for not wanting to fight this losing battle!

These emigrees seem to be largely composed of the best and brightest of contemporary Russia. If there is one thing Russia doesn't need , it's a serious brain drain. Happy birthday Vlad.

If a million of the best young educated Russians leave, that is quite a loss to Russia where skilled people are in very short supply.

Russia's got their own Vietnam.

These poor people. Blessed be the peacemakers. May they be safe and find a positive way forward.

It's a quite complex subject that brings mixed feelings as on one side you can understand not wanting to be drafted to go to war and how scary that might be but on the other hand, these people have stood by and gone on with their lives in Russia while Ukraine was being bombed out day and night. It's not until it could (conditional, not even definitive) affect them directly that they've decided to take some kind of action. Not sure this is to be seen as a refugee crisis. Note: the couple explaining their dilemma in designer clothes and in an apartment with a dining table the size of whole room bring little sympathy to the issue being discussed here.

WHY DO YOU CALL THEM "DRAFT DODGERS" (negative connotation) AND NOT DRAFT RESISTERS?????

If I was a young Russian I’d leave too. I have so much respect for these morally right young Russians. 👏👍 ❤️

With a terrible demographic problem the worst thing for Russia is seeing young people leave. They should replace Vladimir the Dwarf with a garden gnome. They look similar but the gnome would make better decisions.

Imagine how they much they miss Mikhail now

The real Hero's! Save yourself for your families who need you.

Good job, that's what they need to be doing, they need to do whatever they can to tell Putin that this shouldn't escalate further.

May they reach their destinations safely 🙏

Better they leave now than abandoning people on the battle field

Don't call them draft dodgers. That has a negative connotation.

These intelligent young Russians are heros in their own way. It takes enormous courage to do what they're doing. Bravo to them for not mindlessly wandering around doing Putin's dark bidding.

Russia's brain drain will be legendary 🤣

My father was drafted by military police to Yugoslavia's civil war 3 times. We as a family suffered a lot since 90's. And yet, everywhere I go around the world they point a finger at me, full of hatred. Everyone, since forever, that I am the aggressor and murderer, even because civil war happened when i was born and i spent my childhood in poverty and hunger in shelters affected by constant NATO raids on the civilian targets in order to press the army to retreat. My country as well suffered much. I know many people who never wanted to be part of the war, and then their village got burned down and family tortured and slaughtered by yesterdays neighbours, that made them animals who have nothing to lose and went on revenge campain to do as much horrific things as they can to "the enemy civilians" so the other side would know the pain. War is horrific, should never be glorified, destroys life for decades in countries. I grew up the way I wish no other kid in the world grow up, no matter skin color, ethnicity, religion or belief. Americans are really spoiled nation, they find way to divide among themselves, being ungratefull for the world suffering in order to provide for their lifestyle and freedom, unaware that their government in order for them to do have that "freedom" is enslaving the rest of the world. To all good people of this world - PLEASE do not seek war. I survived not 1 but 3 wars. I've seen lies of ALL media, not western or eastern. And NEVER condemn the nation. People are more imprisoned in the rest of the world than you can EVER imagine.

Nicholas II just before his overthrow: "Have I for 22 years followed a wrong course?" Putin in his 24th year: Doesn't even think to ask

I was friends with the late Russian Writer Vladislav Tamarov who wrote "Afghanistan: Soviet Vietnam". He passed in December 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He used to stay with me many times in his travels in the U.S. in the mid 1990's. War changes a country in the soldiers who bear it forever in their Souls no matter whether you "win" or "lose". He was a troubled, haunted man scarred for life. Looks like his country never paid any attention to him and learned absolutely nothing. May he Rest-In-Peace. "He was holding his right leg, but the blood soaked through his fingers and flowed over his hand onto his sleeve. Intuition had served me again this time: my kick had knocked his automatic out of his grasp a fraction of a second before he could press the trigger. The second kick was to his face. It sent him flying about six feet. I set my sights on his head, but something stopped me, one of our guys let out a yelp behind me. Another bullet whistled by right next to me. Apparently, this Mujahadeen was not the only one here. Again, I aimed at his head, but something again stopped me. I saw how his hands were trembling. I noticed the horror in his eyes. “He is only a boy!” I thought and pressed the trigger.” - The late Vladislav Tamarov (1965-2014) "Afghanistan: Soviet Vietnam". Looks like Putin himself in his small withered Soul conveniently avoided military service in the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980's and, therefore, personally learned absolutely nothing about the devastating human spiritual costs of war. So it goes. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Nobody ever learning anything generation after generation.

Why should thousands of innocent people die for 1 person? Doesn't make sense

And who do they think is going to financially support them?!

I'd bet Putin never will draft his own kids or relatives to fight in Ukraine! LOL

Now putin is fighting a war on two fronts. One at home and another in Ukraine. It appears as if he is losing on both fronts.

That sucks!! I truly feel sad for all men and their families

Omg this is so sad 😔

Putting don wore his welcome out

Let me just say 200000 is a lot of brave men who do not want to be a part of this madman's war

My hope these men where received well. These two me are a rare bread brave and strong examples of exceptional men worthy of a warm welcome.

Fierce fighting for democracy is a deed of honor. Refusing to fight for a dictator is a deed of courage! Bravo to all young men taking the right decision!

Afraid of being sent to fight and being against the war are two very different things

Talk about crashing the economy - if large numbers of men leave the country or even just quit going to work so they don't get rounded up.

The same war that just a couple of months ago, they were all like....what war??

This is no different then citizens in the USA fleeing for Canada and Mexico during the Vietnam war , Russia already has the 300,000 troops needed ,so no reason to flee now

thank god the young men came to their senses instead of being fodder of the Authoritarian government

Pray for peace and calm. These events are extremely disturbing and dangerous

Sad. People should not have to leave their homes because of one man's crazy ego.

Drafted into a army that will neither pay, feed or properly equip you. Smh

Respect and glory to Kazakhstan!!!!!!!

Fleeing the draft should be commended. Takes a lot of balls, to be honest.

Turned a blind eye , sat on their arses until it affected them.

Massive massive step towards victory

It's amazing to me how many Europeans can speak fluent English, when my own countrymen cannot.

Draft dodgers seems a harsh term, when they’re doing the right thing.

*Vladimir Putin:* I am calling upon 300,000 citizens to fight in my BS war! *Russian Citizens:* Aight, Imma head out. ✌🏽

Reminds me of US Vietnam Draft

Russian fleeing mobilisation: “I am at the same time a refugee and the aggressor”.

It is so refreshing to see that so many Russians have a heart, and a brain, after all