"We put 500 hryvnia in the passport." How residents of the "DPR" travel to Ukraine through Russia and how much do border guards pay

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"We put 500 hryvnia in the passport." How residents of the "DPR" travel to Ukraine through Russia and how much do border guards pay

Bite point Goptovka in the Kharkiv region

For six months now, regular transport links between Ukraine and the Donbass, which is not controlled by Kiev, have remained virtually closed after the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic.
At the same time, many residents of Donetsk, as before, need to visit their relatives in the controlled territory, receive pensions and solve other important matters. The only real way to Ukraine today is through Russia.
People are forced to make a giant detour, the road from Donetsk to Kiev takes a day. But physical fatigue is not the only problem. This route is illegal under Ukrainian law. The authorities do not recognize the crossing of the borders between the "LPNR" and the Russian Federation. For this, administrative responsibility and fines are threatened.
However, people travel in tens of thousands. And not because the Ukrainian state introduced indulgences for them. The initiative came rather "from below": on the Ukrainian-Russian border in Kharkiv and Luhansk regions, a whole corruption empire flourished for transporting people who otherwise cannot get to Ukraine.
Border guards for a bribe turn a blind eye to illegal border crossings and the installation of the "Diy vdom" application while it was still needed. And, on the contrary, they open them very wide when they are looking for bank cards, study gadgets and passports for a residence permit in the Russian Federation.
How exactly these schemes work and what fees, "Strana" figured out.

"DNR" - Russia - Ukraine: description of the route and bribes

Since mid-July, residents of the "LDNR" can enter the Russian Federation without taking a covid test and self-isolation.
This was immediately taken advantage of by the carriers who organized transit between the "DPR" and Ukraine. They are taken through Russia, and delivered to Ukraine at the checkpoint "Goptovka" near Kharkov.
You can sign up for a flight via Telegram. In addition to the standard indication of the route and a mobile phone, some carriers indicate: "No fines for illegal crossing", "Without the application" Diy vdoma "," Without a fine and self-isolation ".

Screenshots of announcements of trips to Ukraine across the Russian border

And this is not a hoax - they really carry them without fines and "Diy".

Andrey from Donetsk told "Strana" how he went to Ukraine. In total, from the Donetsk Covered Market to the Kiev railway station, his journey with the carrier took about 24 hours.

The first border is the "DPR" with Russia. Despite the fact that all checkpoints are open, the passenger traffic is very dense there. After all, this cordon has become a "gateway" not only to Russia, but also to Ukraine. However, carriers pass it relatively quickly - in a couple of hours. It can be seen that everything is under control.

Donchanin says that he left Donetsk at 6 am, at 8 am he was already at Uspenka (the checkpoint officially closed by Ukraine on the border of Donetsk region and the Russian Federation). At 10 am they passed the cordons and began their journey across Russian territory - about a thousand kilometers.

At about 11 pm they were at the Nekhoteyevka checkpoint in the Belgorod region. The Russians asked the passengers whether they had a residence permit in the Russian Federation. Andriy explains: with a residence permit, the Ukrainian border guards do not want to let in, so there is no point in letting the Russians out - then problems begin with the returnees.

After the cordon of the Russian Federation, passengers go to the checkpoint Goptovka in the Kharkov region. Everyone crossing the border had to install the "Diy vdom" program or take a PCR test in Ukraine upon arrival (now Russia is in the "green" zone for Ukraine, and all this is no longer needed).

However, our interlocutor paid 3500 hryvnia for a one-way trip. And he, as well as the passengers traveling with him, were provided with a "green corridor" - the border guards did not demand the installation of the "Di" and did not ask how these people got to Russia. That is, the bribe was included in the fare.

This corridor looks like this:

"Passengers get out of the minibus and take turns approaching the Ukrainian border guard. When entering a citizen's data into the system, he sees that he is in the customs field of Ukraine (that is, he previously entered the DPR through a Ukrainian checkpoint and, logically, should be at" republic "- Auth. ). However, the employees of the Ukrainian Border Service turn a blind eye to this and ask where the person is coming from. He names any region of Russia - Rostov, Belgorod, Kursk - no difference. The border guard is satisfied with this answer, "says Andrei.

Also, the border guards were interested in where the visitor would live. Passengers "from the lantern" called the Ukrainian telephone number and the address of their stay. “The border guards understood that these were fake contacts, but they didn’t get into the soul,” says the source.

The fare back is already lower - since there are no problems with "Dieya" and illegal crossing.

Carrier prices fluctuate.

There are expensive services - 3000 hryvnia - but they are being transported directly from Kiev and on the Ukrainian border, the attitude is still more loyal. After all, people return to the "DPR" money cashed from cards, actually other people's cards, buy medicines and so on. For less inspection, carriers are often overpaid, who promise a smooth passage.

You can find cheaper options - 1500-2000 hryvnia, but there are only transport services, without a "reshalov" at the border.

500 per person, 3000 per car. How to ride without help

Those who cannot pay three or more thousand hryvnias by carriers for solving all problems in a package are forced to solve their problems with the border guards themselves. Basically, people pass the cordon - albeit as a result of many ordeals. Certainly not free.

First, the border guards start asking them on video recording how you got to Russia. We are talking about those people who previously went to the "DPR" through checkpoints on Ukrainian territory. And travel to Ukraine through Russia is thus a violation of the law.

In groups where residents of the "DPR" discuss this issue, two main scenarios are described.

The first is that the border guards issue an administrative fine. Judging by what people say, in droves and in spite of explanations, they are discharged at the Melovoe checkpoint, which operates in the Luhansk region.

In Goptovka, however, they often get by with "explanatory conversations", say our interlocutors who passed this section of the border. This is explained by the fact that the main flow of carriers goes through this point, on which the main income is made.

Experienced travelers suggest, even if the decision is inevitable, to refer to Articles 17 and 18 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of Ukraine. They release from liability if the violation was made in an emergency.

Considering that from the "DPR" there is virtually no way to get to Ukraine in any other way. And then it may become an absolute necessity to receive a pension (there are no other sources of income), visiting sick relatives, making an appointment with a doctor, getting a new passport, and so on.


The "experienced" ones suggest that the link to these articles be entered into the resolution that the border guards give you against signature - this will then allow you to remove the administrative violation through the court.

Others just pay and stop by without any decrees or "lectures." Tax for illegal entry is standard - 500 hryvnia. Many people simply put the bill in the passport, after which the questions no longer arise.

Also, those who travel with their own vehicles cannot hide behind the backs of the "lured" carriers. Then you are your own carrier. And this is already illegal border crossing using transport and mechanical means.

However, here, too, the solution to the issue is put on stream. "Average bill" - three thousand hryvnia per car. If the car is old, about 15 years old, you can negotiate cheaper. If this is a new car, it will cost 4-5 thousand hryvnia.

“I paid three thousand hryvnias at the customs for a 2006 Mazda passenger car,” Sergei from Donetsk told us.

Problems with luggage, cards and residence permit in Russia

Separately, it must be said about the contents of the bags of passengers. You cannot have more than three of your bank cards with you. Cards in someone else's name (which are often handed over to withdraw pensions in Ukraine) are either spoiled or seized by Ukrainian border guards. Also do not allow documents such as power of attorney. It is also better not to take a laptop with you, because they will turn it on and examine the contents.

The interlocutor of "Strana" Anna went to Ukraine from Donetsk to her husband. She had a bank card with her in the name of her husband. Despite the fact that this man is not a pensioner, they also wanted to withdraw his card. To avoid this, the woman paid a "gratitude" in the amount of the same 500 hryvnia.

Anna also told us that the Ukrainian border guards demanded a passport from her - they were looking for a stamp on a residence permit in Russia.

Another girl told "Strana" that she had a residence permit found. After that, she was threatened with articles for separatism for her and problems for her relatives in Ukraine. They refused to let her into the country. “I gave a bribe of one hundred dollars. The border guard didn’t agree with that. So I reported another hundred and only after that they let them in,” the woman says.

According to our interlocutor, the stamp of residence permit in Russia in her passport is more than three years old. In this connection, the border guards conclude that the person has already received a Russian passport.

“I think I paid the maximum bribe. I know that those who have a temporary residence permit and a residence permit are relatively fresh, pay 500 hryvnia. Moreover, the Ukrainian border guards take in any currency, including rubles,” the woman says.

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