When will the border with Ukraine open?
The sanitary and epidemiological situation remains difficult; vaccination in Ukraine has just begun. The authorities cannot allow the free movement of residents of both countries across the border. We are talking about a land border that, in the pre-Covid era, was crossed on foot, by car, by train or by bus.
Now, formally, the borders of Ukraine with Russia are open, but only persons who have compelling reasons, confirmed by documents, can cross them from Russia.
Border ground control in March 2021 will allow some categories:
- If you have a residence permit or Ukrainian citizenship.
- Those who have a close relative in Ukraine: mother, spouse, child.
- If you have an invitation and a work visa.
- Employees of some structures: diplomats, their families.
- Students.
- Heavy truck drivers.
Rules for entry into Crimea from Russia and Ukraine
Russians can get to Crimea in several ways: by car, by train or by plane. The most important thing is that you need to enter the peninsula and return home through Russian territory. This will avoid problems with Ukrainian border guards.
If you go to Crimea from Russia and then try to cross the border with Ukraine, this will be considered a violation of Ukrainian law. According to Ukrainian rules, entry into Crimea is only possible from the territory of Ukraine and through certain checkpoints. To do this you need to obtain special permission. At the checkpoint, the tourist’s passport is marked with appropriate marks. The absence of a stamp at the border control from Crimea will mean that the citizen has violated the accepted entry procedure. This may result in administrative punishment in the form of a fine or imprisonment for up to 15 days, or even criminal prosecution.
“Crooked” routes from Moscow to Kyiv by air
If you are a supporter of flights and land travel is not part of your plans, you can get to Ukraine by air using a “crooked” route, since Kyiv banned direct flights from the Russian Federation back in October 2015. Since then they have been flying through Minsk, Vilnius, Riga, Baku or Istanbul.
The shortest route runs through Minsk: travel time with transfers is only about 4 hours.
Thus, you can get there by plane without any restrictions, but then you need to meet the requirements of the Ukrainian side. These are the requirements.
If at the time of arrival the Russian Federation is in the group of green countries - the number of cases per 100 thousand should be less than in Ukraine, then the visitor is only required to have medical insurance of the appropriate type, guaranteeing treatment for Covid. There is no need to take a test or self-isolate.
Let us remind you that regular flights ceased in October 2015, but charter flights were not prohibited.
Thus, air travel through third countries is available to everyone, on both sides.
While the Russian Federation is in the green zone, there are no quarantine restrictions for Russians arriving in Kyiv. If the situation changes and the Russian Federation finds itself in the red zone, testing and quarantine will be required.
Railway communication: which train will take you to Kyiv
Since March 2021, train services have been suspended. In March 2021, the quarantine has not been lifted; direct trains do not run between countries.
You can get to the Square with a transfer, through Minsk, fortunately, railway communication with Belarus resumed on February 8.
Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railway) trains continue to operate, passenger and freight, although the amount of freight traffic has noticeably decreased due to Ukrainian sanctions. Currently, direct rail services between the states are suspended due to Covid.
Sea traffic has also been completely stopped. Air travel through third countries is available to everyone, on both sides. While the Russian Federation is in the green zone, those arriving in Kyiv do not need to take a PCR test or undergo quarantine. All you need is insurance. If the situation changes and the Russian Federation finds itself in the red zone, testing will be required.
The following options are possible:
— take a PCR test 48 hours before entering Ukraine, then you do not need to undergo quarantine upon arrival (a certificate with a negative result must be shown at the border).
— take a PCR test for coronavirus after entering Ukraine and remain in self-isolation until you receive a negative result. You can take the test only at a medical institution from the list. You need to install the "At Home" application.
— undergo a 14-day quarantine in an isolation ward (hospital) or at the place of stay (for example, in a hotel), with the installation of the “At Home” application.
Land crossing of the Russian-Ukrainian border
Buses across the Russian-Ukrainian border operate as usual, with the exception of flights to Crimea
Buses across the Russian-Ukrainian border operate as usual, with the exception of flights to Crimea. Russians can use this type of transportation, but not all. Land borders are open to everyone only on the Ukrainian side.
To get through a land checkpoint from Russia to Ukraine, you need a good reason. Checkpoint inspectors will require documentary evidence, which will be the basis for crossing the border in your own car, bus or on foot.
You can get to Kyiv from the Russian Federation by train only with a transfer, through Belarus.
Features of visiting individual territories
Crimea
Since 2014, the territory of the Crimean peninsula has been officially considered Russian.
Ukraine has its own opinion on this, so entry from its side is very complicated . In this regard, visiting certain territories of the country has its own characteristics.
Ukraine’s vision of the situation with Crimea and the established rules for border communication with it are outlined in the following provocative video:
Entering from the peninsula is considered illegal entry onto Ukrainian soil. For this, foreigners are fined and then deported to their homeland.
Thus, in order to get to Ukraine, while actually being in Crimea, you must travel back to Russia and cross the official international border, observing all the rules and regulations.
It is not possible to use ground (personal car, bus, train) or air transport. Ukraine has canceled flights of any transport since the year the territory of the peninsula was annexed by the Russian state.
The border can only be crossed on foot. The law prohibits carrying more than 25 thousand rubles with you; at the border, officers have the right to fine you for exceeding the permissible amount.
Since the summer of 2015, Ukraine has officially banned border crossings for foreign citizens .
In this regard, Crimeans have big problems with moving, since they can only enter the territory of Ukraine with a Ukrainian passport.
Those persons who do not have the appropriate document are forced to cross the border according to general rules.
LPR and DPR zone
Ukraine has closed the border to the passage of any persons: both foreigners and citizens of Ukraine.
To get to the LPR and DPR, as well as back, you need a pass to the ATO zone.
You can obtain it for private visits on the website of the SBU of Ukraine, indicating your own data and the purpose of the visit.
It is recommended to submit an application for the document in advance, since production may take up to 30 days .
Regular buses, air transport and railway transport to Ukraine have been cancelled. They run to the customs post, and then the traveler will have to walk.
The Russian shares his experience of an independent trip from Moscow through Lugansk and Donetsk to Crimea and all the difficulties of the border regime in the following video:
Requirements for Russians entering Ukraine
The Ukrainian Ministry of Health has established requirements for those entering from abroad based on the results of its analysis of the number of cases. If the number of infected people per 100 thousand population is less than in Ukraine, such a country belongs to the green zone and citizens arriving from it, no matter how they got there, by plane or bus, or by train through Minsk, do not have to present a test or self-isolate.
It is enough to have health insurance, issued according to established rules, and guaranteeing treatment in case of Covid infection.
If a citizen arrives from a red zone country, a PCR test will be required; if this is not available, he will undergo it on site and self-isolate until the result is received.
Rules for entry into the LPR and DPR (Lugansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine)
If you are going to travel to the LPR or DPR from Russian territory, it is enough to have an internal Russian passport to travel. You can travel with a foreign passport, but with stamps received at the checkpoint of the unrecognized republics, you will no longer be able to travel to Ukraine, because in a neighboring country such an entry procedure is considered a violation.
If you plan to visit the Lugansk and Donetsk regions from the territory of Ukraine, you will need a Russian passport and a special pass. You need to get a pass on the website of the Security Service of Ukraine (Security Service of Ukraine). To do this, you need to register and leave an application, indicating the details of the individual, sector of visit, purpose of entry and travel route. The basis for visiting the republics may be the presence of relatives living there or their graves, real estate, as well as a scientific, religious or cultural business trip. The application is filled out in Ukrainian and is considered within 10 days (in practice it may be longer). From April 2021, issued electronic passes have unlimited validity.
If all is well, you will receive an electronic confirmation, which you need to download from the website, print and present at the border. But even having an electronic pass does not guarantee that you will be allowed through - the decision is made directly at the border. In total, there are 7 railway and 6 road checkpoints on the Ukrainian side for those who want to enter the territory of the LPR and DPR.
Entry rules during a pandemic
All foreigners must have an insurance policy covering treatment for coronavirus to enter. The policy must be issued by a Ukrainian insurance company or a foreign company that has a representative office in Ukraine.
From August 1, 2021, the Ukrainian Ministry of Health includes countries on the red list where the rate of coronavirus cases is 143.4 cases per 100 thousand population over the last 14 days. If a country is on the green list, there is no need to quarantine or present tests. The green and red lists are updated every 14 days. Citizens arriving from the green zone do not need to self-isolate and take a PCR test, but they must have insurance for the treatment of COVID-19. Russia is back on the green list.
Passengers from red list countries must undergo a 14-day quarantine or take a PCR test for coronavirus.
Vaccination has begun in Ukraine
“We have allocated 15.1 billion hryvnia for the purchase of vaccines against COVID-19,” said Minister of Health Maxim Stepanov. Vaccination in the country began on February 24. As of March 7, 2021, 17 thousand people have been vaccinated. 155 thousand people signed up for vaccination.
Most likely, the borders will not be open to everyone until the majority of the population has been vaccinated. In the Russian Federation, the number of vaccinated people is already more than 6 million.
