FSB: Border zone on border with Belarus does not restrict freedom of travel

The introduction of a border zone along Russia’s border with Belarus does not imply any  restrictions on the rules of crossing the border that concern individuals, transport or goods, the public relations center of Russia’s federal security service FSB told the media after the  FSB director issued an order to create a border zone on the border with Belarus in Russia’s Smolensk, Pskov and Bryansk regions.

The FSB explained that these rules impose no restrictions on the freedom of travel across the border by either country’s citizens.

"The establishment of the border zone does not envisage border control of individuals, vehicles, cargoes, goods or animals or creation of border checkpoints," the FSB said.

Russian and Belarussian citizens in the border zone are obliged to follow the border rules established by the FSB on Oct. 15, 2012, equally applicable to foreign nationals and  Russian citizens.

The FSB explained that the border zone had been introduced to identify and prevent transit illegal migration, drugs trafficking and illegal movement of goods and valuables across  the border.

Source: TASS

Read more: How to travel from visa-free Belarus to Russia?