Yerevan prepares for a new wave of Russians fleeing mobilization

Armenian authorities have declared their readiness to welcome Russian citizens who may flee a new wave of mobilization. This was announced by Yerevan representative Simonyan in an interview with the Russian-language TV channel Dozhd, who noted that entry into the country for Russians has been made as simple as possible.

“No one at the border will ask why you’ve come. As is well known, Russian citizens can enter Armenia without a foreign passport,” Simonyan said. According to her, the Armenian side treats all arrivals with respect and is ready to provide them with maximum support.

Why talk of a new mobilization has resurfaced

For some time now, Russia has been discussing the possibility of a new wave of mobilization that could affect hundreds of thousands of people after the parliamentary elections in September. The reasons cited include heavy losses suffered by the Russian army in Ukraine and a slowdown in the pace of volunteer recruitment. Mobilization could solve the problem of personnel shortages, but it also carries serious political and economic risks for the Kremlin.

According to Simonyan, Russians who leave the country out of fear of being sent to war will be able to stay in Armenia and return home later — whenever they themselves deem it appropriate. “Here they will find everything they were looking for. They will be able to return to Russia once the situation becomes acceptable for them,” she emphasized.

Rent in Yerevan is rising

Armenia became one of the main destinations for Russian emigration back after the start of the war in Ukraine, and especially after the 2022 mobilization. According to local realtors, interest in relocating is growing again: housing rental prices in Yerevan have risen by roughly 30 percent over the past few months.

Realtors note that some Russians are trying to leave the country before the September parliamentary elections. In the first half of 2026 alone, about 417,000 Russian citizens entered Armenia — more than throughout all of 2025, when their number stood at around 340,000.

Source: novinky.cz