Flight tickets departing from Russia ran out quickly today, Wednesday, September 21, 2022, after President Vladimir Putin ordered the immediate mobilization of 300,000 reservist soldiers.

Putin's announcement, made in a televised speech early this morning, raised concerns that some men of conscription age might not be allowed to leave Russia.

Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said the call-up would be limited to those with experience as professional soldiers, and students or those who have only served as conscripts would not be called up.

However, Google Trends data showed a sharp increase in searches for "Aviasales," the most popular site in Russia for purchasing flight tickets.

Direct flight tickets from Moscow to Istanbul in Turkey and Yerevan in Armenia, both visa-free destinations for Russians, sold out today, Wednesday, according to Aviasales data.

There were also no available seats on some indirect flights, such as flights from Moscow to Tbilisi, with the cost of the cheapest flights from Moscow to Dubai reaching more than 300,000 rubles (five thousand dollars), which is five times the average monthly wages.