Russians are reportedly rushing to secure long-term rentals in Georgia and Armenia amid growing fears of a new mobilization wave as Moscow struggles to replenish heavy battlefield losses in Ukraine. Independent Russian news website Important Stories reported this week that demand for apartment rentals in Tbilisi and Yerevan was up to 30% higher in mid-August compared to the same period last year, according to realtors, who say the increase is partly also due to seasonal factors. JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. One Tbilisi-based realtor, cited by the outlet, said: “I advise anyone planning to move to rent now. Apartments are selling out in a day or two, and everyone is looking for long-term options. We haven’t seen this much excitement since 2022.” Russia saw a mass exodus of around 700,000 people in the months following Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, driven in large part due to a mobilization drive by the armed forces in September that year. Another realtor in Tbilisi told Important Stories that demand for apartments in the Georgian capital began climbing in late July, saying: “You can compare the situation to the first months of the war… [Finding an apartment] is more difficult now because many expats are already living here. “The market can’t meet the demand, even with the active construction,” he added.