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Russia Closes Mobilization Screening Checkpoint at Georgia Border

The Verkhny Lars checkpoint on the Russian-Georgian border. Valery Sharifulin / TASS

Russian military authorities will end their screenings of men looking to cross into Georgia or its breakaway region of South Ossetia, Interfax reported Friday, citing a South Ossetian official. 

Russian officials had set up a screening checkpoint for draft-eligible men at the Georgian border on Sept. 27 as tens of thousands fled to the South Caucasus country to evade the Kremlin's mobilization drive for the war in Ukraine. 

"The working groups are suspending their work at checkpoints," the press service of Alan Gagloev, the de facto head of South Ossetia, told reporters. 

At least 180 people were handed draft papers following the screening, according to information provided by South Ossetian officials. 

More than 78,000 Russians crossed the land border with Georgia in the first two weeks after the mobilization was announced, according to statistics cited by independent news outlet Bumaga.

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