Events

The State Border Committee of Belarus has received official information that Russia will exercise border control at airport border crossings with respect to the aircraft arriving from or departing for Belarus and their passengers starting from 15 May 2017. For this purpose, all flights will be transferred to the international sectors of Russian airports. Belarusian and Russian citizens will not have to go through border controls. They will be able to board their flight with an ID and a boarding pass.

MINSK, 5 May (BelTA) - Spokesman for the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dmitry Mironchik commented on the transfer of all flights operated between Russia and Belarus to the international sector of Russian airports while talking to the media on 5 May. The new rules take effect on 15 May 2017, BelTA has learned.

“We have received an official notice from Russia on 21 April 2017 which says that all flights operated between Russia and Belarus will be transferred to the international sector of the Russian airports. We have immediately informed all the stakeholders, including the State Border Committee, the State Customs Committee, the Interior Ministry and the Transport Ministry of the Republic of Belarus,” Dmitry Mironchik said.

The Russian side has assured that the new rules will not infringe the freedom of movement for Belarusian and Russian citizens. “We will see how these new approaches work,” he added.

State Secretary of the Union State Grigory Rapota stated earlier that all the flights between Belarus and Russia will be transferred to the international sector of the Russian airports on 15 May 2017. Passengers who are not citizens of these two countries will have to go through customs control. He added that these new rules will not affect the citizens of Belarus and Russia using these flights. They will cross the border upon presenting their passports. Belarusian and Russian passengers will have to keep their boarding pass in order to present it before entering Russia.