Russians flee to Turkey to escape military draft (Video)

(3 Oct 2022) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Istanbul - 30 September 2022 1. Wide of Bosporus and mosque in the Ortakoy district HEADLINE: Russians flee to Turkey to escape military draft 2. Close of a phone and microphone 3. Various of Niki Proshin walking and filming, talking on his phone, doing a livestream ANNOTATION: Istanbul, Turkey. Niki Proshin packed his bags and fled his native Russia days after President Vladimir Putin declared a "partial mobilization" for the war in Ukraine. 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Niki Proshin, Russian who fled to Turkey: "I am escaping my country, Russia, because of some political decisions of our government." 5. Various of Proshin filming on phone for his vlog ANNOTATION: The 28-year-old YouTube vlogger is among some 200,000 Russians who left their country since the Sept. 21 announcement. 6. SOUNDBITE (English) Niki Proshin, Russian who fled to Turkey: "Last week kind of changed everything, and for me and for literally hundreds of thousands of other people who decided to leave Russia. The main reason, the main motivation for that is avoid personal danger of being drafted to Russian Army." ASSOCIATED PRESS Istanbul - 23 September 2022 7. Various of passengers arriving at Istanbul Airport, including on flights from Russia ANNOTATION: Turkey, which maintained air links with Russia while other countries blocked flights, has been a popular destination for those leaving the country. ASSOCIATED PRESS Istanbul - 30 September 2022 8. Various of anti-war demonstration, large banner ANNOTATION: Some Russians regularly join Ukrainians and other anti-war demonstrators at protests in Turkey's largest city, Istanbul. 9. SOUNDBITE (English) Maxim Bocharov, Sales manager and anti-war activist: "I want to say to (the) Ukrainian people that not every Russian is like a brainwashed zombie. I just want to say it. It is not my first time (here), it's my third time at this protest march, so.,and I will go tomorrow and then after tomorrow, then every day." ASSOCIATED PRESS Istanbul - 23 September 2022 10. Various of passengers arriving at Istanbul Airport, including on flights from Russia, flight arrival boards ANNOTATION: Groups helping Russians flee say there has been significant increase in the number of Russians arriving in Turkey since the mobilization declaration. STORYLINE: Vladimir Putin's military draft "changed everything" for throngs of Russians who have fled their country since the mobilization was announced last month, according to recent arrivals in Istanbul. Niki Proshin left St. Petersburg this week as huge numbers of men escaped following the September 21 declaration of a "partial mobilization" for the war in Ukraine. "Last week changed everything for hundreds of thousands of other people who decided to leave Russia," he said. "The main reason is the danger of being drafted into the Russian army." Turkey, which maintained air links with Russia while other countries blocked flights, has been a popular destination for those leaving for "any place" they can reach. Proshin, a YouTube vlogger originally from the Siberian city of Omsk, said setbacks on the battlefield had eroded support for the war, even among "patriotic" Russians. Proshin said his family was "very relieved" he left Russia and he now plans to wait for his girlfriend to join him before leaving for another country. According to Ark, a group helping Russians fleeing their country, there has been a significant increase in the numbers of those arriving in Turkey since the mobilization declaration. CR VIDEO CREDIT: AYSE WIETING Clients are reminded: Subscribe for more Breaking News: http://smarturl.it/AssociatedPress Website: https://apnews.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP Facebook: https://facebook.com/APNews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/cb9aee81ab294d64abc24e6440f642d6