New cases show Belarusian guards using Russian electronic summons to deny exit to men with Russian passports. Travelers from occupied areas should reassess routes and documents.
Risks have increased for Ukrainians from the occupied territories who are leaving via Belarus, due to cases where men with Russian passports are not allowed to leave Belarus because of an electronic draft notice in the Russian registry and citing a travel ban by the Russian Federation.
«The route through Belarus has long been considered a ‘conditionally safe corridor’ for leaving temporarily occupied territories for our citizens. Our citizens from the occupied territories who were forced to obtain ‘Russian passports’ used this route to ultimately reach EU countries or the Ukrainian-controlled territory» – wrote Chystikov.
– Denys Chystikov
According to him, previously rumors that Belarusian border guards had access to Russian databases were only talk, without concrete confirmation. But now the first real facts are emerging.
Recently there have been cases where men with Russian passports were not allowed to leave Belarus precisely because of the presence of an electronic draft notice in the Russian registry and citing a travel ban by the Russian authorities. As noted, this confirms that information exchange between the security structures of the two countries has indeed started to operate in practice.
If Belarusian authorities could ‘not see’ the Russian restrictions before, now the risk of being detained or turned away at the border has significantly increased.
Chystikov notes that particular attention should be paid to men – Ukrainian citizens who are under occupation or on the territory of the Russian Federation and plan to depart. The presence of a ‘Russian passport’ now automatically pulls them into their military registration records.
In this regard, citizens should carefully check the validity of their documents and the potential travel status before planning a departure via Belarus, as data exchange between the border guards of the two countries is already gaining practical effect.
Key Findings
With the tightening of border control by Belarus and Russia, the likelihood of detention or denial of departure for Ukrainian citizens from the occupied territories who hold Russian passports increases.
It is important to stay cautious, plan the route carefully, and verify document status before traveling, especially when leaving via Belarus.