Russia–Ukraine border
The Russia–Ukraine border is the de jure international boundary between Russia and Ukraine. Over land, the border spans five Russian oblasts and five Ukrainian oblasts. Due to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in early 2014, the de facto border between Russia and Ukraine is different from the legal border recognized by the United Nations. As of 2024[update], Russia is militarily occupying a significant portion of Ukraine.
In 2016, according to
In 2014, as the Ukrainian government lost Crimea and a portion of the Donbas to Russia and Russian-backed separatists, respectively, it unveiled a plan called "Project Wall" through which it sought to erect a fortified border barrier along the rest of the international border, with the goal of blocking any further Russian incursions into the country. It was estimated that the barrier would cost around US$520 million and take four years to complete. Construction began in 2015,[3] but was suspended due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
On 1 January 2018, Ukraine introduced biometric controls for Russian citizens entering the country.[4] On 22 March 2018, erstwhile Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko signed a decree into law that required all Russian visitors to inform Ukrainian authorities of their reason for travelling to Ukraine before their date of entry.[4] On 7 November 2018, the Criminal Code of Ukraine was amended to make illegal border crossings by Russians into Ukraine ("to harm the country's interest") punishable by imprisonment for up to three years.[5]
Since 30 November 2018, Ukraine has banned all Russian males aged 16–60 from entering the country, albeit with room for exceptions on humanitarian grounds.[6][7][8][9]
Since 1 March 2020, Ukrainian citizens are required to use their "international passport" when crossing the Ukrainian border to enter Russia,[10] but can continue to use their "internal passport" when returning to Ukraine.[10] Prior to this law, Ukraine allowed the "internal passport" to be used for travel to Russia.
History before 1991
Under the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union
The border has inherited its location from the administrative-territorial division between the
Peace talks started on 23 May 1918 in
Border with the anti-Bolshevik Don Republic
More productive were negotiations between the
On 8 August 1918, the sides signed the treaty "About Basic Principles of Bilateral Relations", wherein each side agreed to renounce its territorial contests against the other, and borders were established based on the gubernatorial division of the Russian Empire.[11] The Don-Ukraine border outlined the Oblast of Don Host to the west of the Don Republic and Yekaterinoslav, Kharkiv, Voronezh guberniyas to the east of Ukraine.[11] To Ukraine also was ceded some territory of the right bank of the Kalmius river just east of Mariupol "to ensure the proper administration of the city and port".[11] On September 18, 1918, between Don and Ukraine the Don-Ukrainian Commission was created for the administration of the Taganrog Industrial District, based in Kharkiv.[11]
Second invasion by the Russian SFSR
After the second invasion of the Soviet troops during the
On April 24, 1919, the
After the USSR was
1954 transfer of Crimea to Ukraine
In 1954,
History since 1991
In 1991,
Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances (1994)
The
Border treaty (2003)
The Treaty Between the Russian Federation and Ukraine on the Russian–Ukrainian State Border
Tuzla Island conflict (2003)
The island
The main trade routes lay completely within the deeper part of the Kerch Strait which is located between the island and Crimea and is considered a part of the territorial waters of Ukraine. On the other hand, ships are impeded to travel to the east of the island (towards the
Russian annexation of Crimea (2014)
Since the
Borders of the Russian Naval Base, in the city of Sevastopol, and its vicinity have not been clearly identified.
In December 2018, Russia announced it completed the construction of the 60-km barrier across
Restrictions on Russians entering Ukraine (2018–present)
On 1 January 2018, Ukraine introduced biometric controls for Russians entering the country.[4] On 22 March 2018, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed a decree that required Russian citizens and "individuals without citizenship, who come from migration risk countries” (more details were not given) to notify the Ukrainian authorities in advance about their reason for traveling to Ukraine.[4]
On 7 November 2018, the
Since 30 November 2018, Ukraine bans all Russian men between 16 and 60 from entering the country with exceptions for humanitarian purposes.[7][8][9] Ukraine claims this is a security measure to prevent Russia from forming units of “private” armies on Ukrainian soil.[6]
Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022–present)
On 24 February 2022, Russian forces crossed the border in
On 4 and 5 April 2022, units of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine retook control of their border crossing in Chernihiv Oblast.[25] On 4 April, Sumy Oblast's Governor Dmytro Zhyvytskyi stated that Russian troops no longer occupied any towns or villages in Sumy Oblast and had mostly withdrawn, while Ukrainian troops were working to push out the remaining units.[26]
On 1 July 2022, Ukraine made it compulsory for Russian citizens to apply for a visa to enter Ukraine.[27] During the first four months of the visa regime, ten visas were issued and seven Russian citizens entered Ukraine (mostly for humanitarian reasons).[27]
Security checkpoints
Since the start of the
According to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine the number of
Luhansk Oblast
- Zolote, near Zolote towards Pervomaisk
Donetsk Oblast
- Mayorske, near train station Mayorska, Horlivka
- Maryinka, near Maryinka (along Highway H15)
Geography
The border has a length of 2,295.04 kilometres (1,426.07 mi) of which 1,974.04 kilometres (1,226.61 mi) is land border and 321 kilometres (199 mi) is sea border. It extends from a point in the Black Sea 22.5 kilometres (14.0 mi) south of the Kerch Strait, where the first contact the territorial waters of both states, is to the north of this strait, passing it is on the Sea of Azov to the point on the coast which goes to the land border and so on to the tripoint with Belarus to the north. The Russia–Ukraine border has the biggest number of border checkpoints in Ukraine.[citation needed]
Demarcation
A treaty on the demarcation of the common border between the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Russia was signed on 17 May 2010 and came into force on 29 July of the same year.
Ukrainian border barrier
Starting in May 2015, Ukraine had been building a
As of May 2015, a walled defense system was under construction along the Russian border in
Land-based border checkpoints
Checkpoints over the state border of Ukraine and the border with the Russian Federation As of 26 February 2015[update][35] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chervonopartyzansk
|
Chernihiv – Bryansk
The section of the border between the Chernihiv Oblast and Bryansk Oblast has length of 183 km (114 mi).[36]
Checkpoint | Status | Type | P/F |
---|---|---|---|
Hremiach – Pogar | international | (automobile) | P,F |
Mykolayivka – Lomakovka | interstate | (automobile) | P,F |
Senkivka – Novye Yurkovichi3 | international | (automobile) | P,F |
Notes:
- 3 – three-way checkpoint with Belarus
Sumy – Bryansk
Checkpoint | Status | Type | P/F |
---|---|---|---|
Bachivsk – Troyebornoye | international | (automobile) | P,F |
Sumy – Kursk
Checkpoint | Status | Type | P/F |
---|---|---|---|
Katerynivka – Krupets | international | (automobile) | P,F |
Yunakivka – Sudzha | international | (automobile) | P,F |
Seredyna-Buda – Zyornovo1, 2 | local | (automobile, pedestrian) | P |
Notes:
- 1 – closed for nighttime
- 2 – under renovations
Sumy – Belgorod
Checkpoint | Status | Type | P/F |
---|---|---|---|
Velyka Pysarivka – Graivoron | international | (automobile) | P, F |
Pokrovka – Kolotilovka | interstate/local | (automobile) | P, F |
Hrabovske – Staroselye1 | local | (automobile, pedestrian) | P, F |
Notes:
- 1 – closed for nighttime
Kharkiv – Belgorod
- Hoptivka – Nekhoteyevka
- Kozacha Lopan – Dolbino
- Odnorobivka – Golovchino
- Oleksandrivka – Bezymeno
- Pisky – Logachovka
- Pletenivka – Shebekino
- Strilecha – Zhuravlyovka
- Topoli – Valuiki
- Chuhunivka – Verigovka
Luhansk – Belgorod
- Adrian Lagmay - Trestan Baldoza
Luhansk – Voronezh
- Prosyane – Bugayevka
Railroad border checkpoints
Sumy Oblast
- Konotop Rail Station (Konotop)
- Vorozhba Rail Station (Vorozhba)
- Khutir-Mykhailivsky Rail Station (Druzhba)
- Zernove Rail Station (Zernove)
- Volfine Rail Station (Volfine)
- Pushkarne Rail Station (Pushkarne)
Kharkiv Oblast
- Vovchansk Rail Station (Vovchansk)
- Kupiansk Rail Station (Kupiansk)
- Kharkiv-Passenger Rail Station (Kharkiv)
- Kharkiv-Sorting Rail Station (Kharkiv)
Closed border checkpoints
During the Russo-Ukrainian War, the following border checkpoints were shut down.[37][clarification needed][when?]
Chernihiv – Bryansk
Klyusy(local?)[37]
Sumy – Bryansk
Sumy – Kursk
Boyaro-Lezhachi – Tyotkino(local)[37]Kondrativka – Yelizovetovka(local)[37]Novovasylivka – Belaya Beryozka(local)[37]Ryzhivka – Tyotkino(local)[37]Starykove – Kozino(local)[37]Volfine – Volfino(local)[37]Volodymyrivka(local?)[37]
Sumy – Belgorod
Popivka(local?)[37] (uncertain whether of Velyka Pysarivka or Krasnopillia raions)
Kharkiv – Belgorod
Budarky – Tishanka(local)[37]
Luhansk – Belgorod
Dyomino-Oleksandrivka – Valuiky (interstate)[37]
Luhansk – Voronezh
- Novobila – Novobila (interstate)[37]
Luhansk – Rostov
- Dovzhansky– Novoshakhtinsk (international)
- Herasymivka – Mozhayevka (local)
- Donetsk(special status, international)
- Krasna Talivka – Voloshinoye (international)
- Milove – Chertkovo (local)
- Yuhanivka – Yelan (local)
- Chervona Mohyla – Gukovo (rail international)
- Donetsk(special status, rail international)
- Milove - Chertkovo (rail international)
Chervonopartyzansk – Gukovo(international)[37]Syevyerny – Donetsk(local)[37]Krasnodarsky – Donetsk(local)[37]Krasnodarsky – Nizhni Shvyrov(local)[37]Novoborovtsi – Alekseyevo-Tuzlovka(local)[37]Oleksandrivka – Titovka(local)[37]Vilkhove – Quarry of 122 km(interstate)[37]Zarynivka – Tarasovo-Melovskoye(local)[37]
Donetsk – Rostov
The section of the border between the Donetsk Oblast and Rostov Oblast has length of 178.5 km (110.9 mi).[38]
- Passengers Park (Ilovaisk) – Uspenka (rail international)
- Southern Park (Ilovaisk) – Uspenka (rail international)
- Kvashyne – Uspenka (international)
- Marynivka – Kuibyshevo (international)
- Novoazovsk – Veselo-Voznesensk (international)
Ulianivske – Shramko(local)[37]Uspenka – Matveyev Kurgan(international)[37]
Crimea – Krasnodar
- Port Krym (Kerch Strait ferry line) – Port Kavkaz
- Russian Federation, there were no borders demarcated within the city. Instead, the whole city was granted the special status and without a full-fledged mayor position.[39]
Local border traffic
This section needs to be updated.(May 2018) |
Since 16 March 2015, the Russia-Ukraine local border traffic agreement was unilaterally terminated by Ukraine citing national security.[40]
On 24 March 2015, the Ukrainian side informed that Russia temporarily froze the local border traffic within the territory of Kharkiv, Sumy and Luhansk regions of Ukraine adjacent to Belgorod and Voronezh regions of the Russian Federation. Local BCPs[clarification needed] "Zhuravlivka" and "Oleksandrivka" (Kharkiv region) were exceptions.[41]
Simplified local border crossing was allowed for the 2015 Easter holidays in Stanytsia-Luhanska, Milove, Troitske, Novopskov and Bilovodsk raions of the Luhansk Oblast.[42]
See also
References
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- ^ a b Watching Russia for Signs of Progress in Ukraine Negotiations, Stratfor, 4 April 2016.
- ^ Moscow Times, 6 May 2015.
- ^ a b c d e "Kiev tightens requirements for Russians travelling to Ukraine". Reuters. March 21, 2018. Archived from the original on February 2, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021 – via www.reuters.com.
- ^ UNIAN(7 November 2018)
- ^ a b Roth, Andrew (30 November 2018). "Ukraine bans entry to Russian men 'to prevent armies forming'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 April 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
- ^ UNIAN. 30 November 2018. Archivedfrom the original on 2020-04-05. Retrieved 2018-12-04.
- ^ a b Ukraine upholds entry restrictions for Russian men aged 16-60 years Archived 2018-12-29 at the Wayback Machine, Ukrinform (December 27, 2018)
- ^ a b "State Border Service after completing martial law did not let over 800 Russians". Glavcom (in Ukrainian). 11 January 2019.
- ^ a b Ukrainians to enter Russia on foreign passports from March 1, 2020 Archived April 24, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, 112 Ukraine (18 December 2019)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Regional history of Ukraine. Collection of scientific articles. Vol.3. "Institute of History of Ukraine (NANU)". Kyiv, 2009
- ^ a b c d e f Yefimenko, H. About the border between Soviet Ukraine and the Bolshevik Russia, 1919. Ukrainska Pravda (Historic pravda). 10 March 2014
- ^ Calamur, Krishnadev (27 February 2014). "Crimea: A Gift To Ukraine Becomes A Political Flash Point". NPR. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
- ^ Keating, Joshua (25 February 2014). "Kruschev's Gift". Slate. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
- ^ "Krim-Übertragung : War der Dnjepr-Kanal der Grund? – Nachrichten Geschichte" [Crimean broadcast : Was the Dnieper Canal the reason? – News story]. DIE WELT. 12 March 2014. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
- ^ Sasse, Gwendolyn (3 March 2014). "Crimean autonomy: A viable alternative to war?". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine and Russia: mutual relations and the conditions that determine them" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-08-03. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
- ^ a b "Treaty between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on the Ukrainian-Russian State border". United Nations Treaty Collection. 2016-12-01. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
- ^ a b "Ukraine: Demarcation of Border with Russia". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
- ^ Gutterman, Steve (18 March 2014). "Putin signs Crimea treaty, will not seize other Ukraine regions". Reuters.com. Archived from the original on 18 March 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- ^ "Ukraine crisis: Timeline". Bbc.co.uk. 2014-11-13. Archived from the original on 2014-06-03. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
- ITAR-TASS, 31 March 2014.
- ^ "В Крыму возвели заграждение на границе с Украиной" [In the Crimea erected a fence on the border with Ukraine]. ria.ru. 28 December 2018. Archived from the original on 29 December 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
- abcnews.go.com. 24 February 2022.
- ^ (in Ukrainian) Ukrainian border guards crossed the state border in Chernihiv region, Ukrainska Pravda (5 April 2022)
- ^ Russian troops no longer hold any settlements in Ukraine's Sumy region, says governor, National Post (4 April 2022)
- ^ a b VALENTYNA ROMANENKO (13 December 2022). "Less than a dozen: Border guards told how many Russians entered Ukraine with visas". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine conflict: Why is east hit by conflict?" Archived 2018-07-27 at the Wayback Machine, BBC News, 18 February 2015.
- UNIAN(15 August 2016)
- ^ Over 3,600 Russians refused entry into Ukraine in H1 Archived 2016-08-17 at the Wayback Machine, Interfax-Ukraine (16 August 2016)
- ^ a b (in Ukrainian) UKRAINE RUSSIA MAY dissociate itself from the Fence Archived 2014-06-17 at the Wayback Machine, Ukrainska Pravda (16 June 2014)
- ^ Vijai Maheshwari (27 October 2014). "The Great Wall of Ukraine". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
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- UNIAN(5 June 2020)
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- ^ "Донецький прикордонний загін; Офіційний сайт Державної прикордонної служби України (ДПСУ)" [Donetsk border detachment; Official website of the State Border Service of Ukraine (SPSU)]. dpsu.gov.ua. March 22, 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-03-22.
- ^ "Vessel details for: KRYM (General Cargo) - IMO 7727425, MMSI 273377650, Call Sign UBEN7 Registered in Russia | AIS Marine Traffic". Marinetraffic.com. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
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- ^ "Russian side freezes local border traffic | State border guard service of Ukraine". March 22, 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-03-22.
- ^ "Kiev to Open Border With Russia in Lugansk Region During Easter Holidays » voice of Sevastopol". En.voicesevas.ru. 2014-08-19. Archived from the original on 2016-08-21. Retrieved 2017-01-11.