War in Ukraine: 'Exhausted, hungry and sleep-deprived' - Russians flee to Georgia

 Rayhan Demytrie

Reporting from Georgia

Copyright: BBCThere is a steady flow of people coming through the Upper Larsi border crossing from Russia into Georgia.

They are coming in groups of walkers, dragging their suitcases behind them, some in cars, others are on bikes.

All of them are looking exhausted, hungry and sleep-deprived. But they are relieved to be here. They feel they have reached safety.

Ilya, who is in his late 20s, is standing next to his father. They decided to leave Moscow as soon as Vladimir Putin announced the partial mobilisation.

Copyright: BBCIlya showed me a polaroid of his baby daughter Arisha. He said he wanted to see her grow up, and not die in this senseless war.

I met two brothers in their early 20s - Dima and Zhenya - who have travelled for days from Bashkiria. Their eyes are red, their hair is dishevelled. Dima asked for a hotspot to call his mother.

On the other end of the line there was a sigh of relief.

Copyright: BBC

Another young man from Moscow said the reason he was here was because of the man in the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin.

Everyone says the same thing: they disagree with the war but the extent of repression in Russia makes them powerless.