Russia creates border security zone and fails to tell Belarus

Russian authorities made a decision to create a border security zone along its border with Belarus and failed to inform its western neighbor, reported Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Vanshina.

The fact that Russia introduced a border zone without warning Minsk contradicts “all existing agreements on the border protection and crossing between the two countries,” said Vanshina.

“Many people see these actions as a precursor to the restoration of full control [of] the Belarusian-Russian border [that was] annuled more than twenty years ago. This stands in conflict with a number of existing agreements,” said the Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

However, Vanshina said that it is “not necessary to dramatize the situation,” adding that the Foreign Ministry is now studying Russia’s decision to introduce the border zone.

On February 1, it became known that FSB director Alexander Bortnikov ordered the creation of the border zone between Russia and Belarus. As it turned out, Bortnikov signed the order in late December 2016.

On January 26, the document was registered with Russia's Ministry of Justice. It came into force 10 days later.

The FSB has made no comments on the installation of said border zone.

In January 2017, Belarus announced the introduction of a visa-free regime for citizens of 80 countries entering the country through Minsk airport. Visa-free regime will come into force in the first half of February.

The border between Russia and Belarus was virtually hitherto absent, not having been set by any treaties.