By the end of May, controls on the Belarusian-Russian border remain tightened, with checks being carried out comprehensively, although there are still no uniform procedures across all checkpoints, Mayday.Team writes.
According to the outlet, on the Vitsyebsk–Smolensk highway, in addition to registering passport data in a computer system, officers have started checking vehicle registration documents and insurance papers.
On the main M1 Minsk–Moscow highway, border guards photograph passports to speed up the process and do not always invite travellers into the checkpoint booth, although they always inspect the trunk of the vehicle. Particular attention is paid to Russian citizens.
At a checkpoint when entering Belarus from the direction of St. Petersburg, border guards were issued Kalashnikov rifles, which, according to the outlet, surprised and alarmed passengers. They said that previously the servicemen had either been unarmed or carried pistols.
Controls have also been introduced on railway routes. Since April 3, passport checks have been carried out comprehensively at destination stations for passengers on the Vitsyebsk–Smolensk and Orsha–Smolensk regional trains.
Since 2017, a border zone with a special regime has been in effect in Russia’s Bryansk, Smolensk and Pskov regions along the Belarusian-Russian border. Only international highways are excluded from the zone. Bypassing checkpoints requires a special permit to stay within the five-kilometre strip along the border.
