Some men in white-collar jobs like banking and IT won't be drafted to fight in Ukraine, Russia's defense ministry says

• After Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "partial mobilization" into Ukraine, some men are fleeing to avoid the draft.
• Some companies in Russia objected to the draft, saying it could hurt how they do business.

Some Russian men in certain white-collar jobs, like banking and IT, will be exempt from the country's "partial mobilization" of additional troops into Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defense said.

In a Telegram post from last Friday, the ministry said, "In order to ensure the operation of certain high-tech industries, as well as the financial system of the Russian Federation, a decision was made not to enlist in the military service as part of the partial mobilization of citizens with higher education in the relevant specialties and areas of training," which include working in information technology, telecom, Russian state media, and banking.

Some of the specific roles that the ministry listed include telecom operators "involved in ensuring the stability, security and integrity of the functioning of communication facilities, data processing centers, as well as public communication facilities and lines of the Russian federation."

Russians who work in "organizations in the field of information and communications," are also exempted, which, as Insider previously noted, includes media figures who are responsible for how the war is reported to Russian citizens.

The post says workers on lists submitted by leaders at relevant companies also will be considered for exemption.

Putin announced last week the "partial mobilization" of 300,000 military reservists to continue fighting in Ukraine. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the draft would only apply to Russians who have combat experience, and that students and conscripts would not be drafted.

According to The New York Times, backlash to the draft from industries like tech and agriculture, which said the draft could negatively affect how they do business, leading to the ministry's announcement.

Forbes Russia reported that The Association of Software Developers in Russia sent an appeal to the Ministry of Digital Transformation for IT employees to be exempted from the war draft.

Russian economics newspaper Kommersant reported that airline and airport employees received calls to join the Russian military, and three companies estimated that 50% to 80% of their workforces could be mobilized. According to Kommersant, a majority of airline pilots are reserve officers who've received military training or have previously done military service.

Some airlines in Russia are already facing IT staff shortages, Kommersant reported, and airlines said losing "even a few people" to the draft "will seriously complicate or even paralyze the work." Airline and airport employees were not mentioned in the ministry's Telegram post about workers who could be exempt from the draft.

In the hours leading up to Putin's speech last week, Russians who expected he would announce a mobilization and "referendums" in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory went to Google "How to leave Russia," leading to a spike in the search term.

Plane tickets out of Russia into countries like Turkey and Georgia, where Russian citizens are still allowed without a visa, skyrocketed in price and some sold out. Other Russians trying to flee the country by car were met with traffic jams on the Georgian and Finnish borders.

The lower house of Russia's parliament recently passed legislation for draft deserters can face up to 10 years in jail, and that the law could affect draft dodgers too.