Russian President Vladimir Putin' s war could be left in tatters as thousands of Russians flee to avoid conscription.
Thousands of Russians are reportedly trying to get to the US to claim political asylum to avoid being forced to fight in the war with Ukraine.
It comes as Putin is being abandoned by some of his own team as several Russian MPs withdraw their support for the Kremlin following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Russian troops have driven tanks into the country after weeks of military escalation, sparking international outrage at Putin's blatant aggression.
US immigration lawyers have said they are overwhelmed with requests from Russian men and their families asking if they can get political protection after Putin's invasion.
Follow the latest updates on Russia's invasion of Ukraine in our live blog
Russia blew up a natural gas pipeline close to the northeastern city overnight, prompting warnings of an "environmental catastrophe" by Ukrainian authorities before their forces breached its perimeters.
An eerie quiet fell over curfewed Kyiv this morning after small arms fire and rockets were heard throughout the night, although Russian troops have so far failed in their efforts to seize the city.
In recent months, a record number of Russian citizens have been crossing into the US from Mexico to claim political asylum in a reported response to Putin's increased crackdown on the opposition.
Immigration lawyers say they expect numbers will "skyrocket" after Putin's invasion of Ukraine - particularly from military-age men who fear they will be drafted to fight.
The Russian government has already called up conscripts and reservists aged between 18 and 60.
Many Russians are opposed to the war as thousands have bravely demonstrated across Russia risking arrest.
Ekaterina Mouratova, a Russian-American immigration lawyer based in Miami, Florida, told The Daily Telegraph : "We have never been so busy.
“But the number is going to skyrocket. I have got tons of emails in the last few days - hundreds.
“They are mostly men between 20 and 55 who are asking if they can get protection from the US if Russia does a mandatory military draft. These people do not want to go to war.
“Conditions in Russia are becoming harsher and harsher and there is a lot of political instability around the region. More and more people are looking for a way out.”
The number of Russian nationals that were apprehended on the US' southern border with Mexico soared from 467 in 2020 to 9,736 in 2021.
The increase has been linked to Putin's crackdown on dissent, which have become ruthless since protests erupted in support of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
More than 1,500 people were arrested in Russia on Thursday night alone for protesting their opposition to the war in Ukraine.
Ms Mouratova said her company, the Immigration Centre of Ekaterina Mouratova, is already dealing with “dozens of people” a week who have flown to Mexico from Russia, Ukraine and neighbouring Belarus.
She said many then took a route from Cancun to Tijuana where they presented themselves to US border agents and claimed political asylum.
Legal routes to the US for Russians have dwindled in recent years and the pandemic took a toll on consular services, making it difficult for Russians to get a visa.
Mikhail Matveyev, a member of lower house of Russian parliament State Duma, today called on the Kremlin to stop the invasion.
Other pundits who have in the past been friendly to the Kremlin have also expressed dissatisfaction with the president’s power play in Ukraine.
Mr Matveyev said: “By voting to recognise the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics I voted for peace, not a war.
“For Russia to become a shield for the Donbass, not for bombing Kyiv."
MP for Russia’s second-largest party the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Oleg Smolin added yesterday that he was “shocked” by the invasion.
It comes as Putin is said to be furious at the state of the invasion as Russian troops and tanks enter Kharkiv triggering a fight on the streets for Ukraine's second city.
