Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a warning to citizens traveling to or transiting through Russia, citing a growing number of cases involving extensive border checks and additional control measures.
The checks have particularly affected men aged 18 to 60, holders of recently issued passports, dual citizens who also hold Russian citizenship, solo travelers, and people who have traveled to Ukraine. The ministry said these individuals faced questioning sessions lasting between three and 12 hours, along with temporary confiscation of travel documents.
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According to the ministry, Moldovan citizens were also asked questions about Ukraine, “as well as opinions on the war in Ukraine or other political topics.”
Detention, military enlistment pressure and device searches
Moldovan authorities report that travelers have been coerced into signing documents authorizing personal data processing and granting access to their phones, computers, and other electronic devices. They said border agents have also examined, copied, or fully downloaded data from travelers’ devices, taken photographs, and collected fingerprints.
Some individuals were reportedly asked to submit to polygraph testing, while others faced questions about their family members, careers, or past travel to other countries.
The ministry said it has received reports of individuals held in administrative detention being pressured to sign contracts enlisting them in the Russian armed forces.
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Many of the travelers have experienced significant delays that caused them to miss flights or other transport connections, without receiving proper documentation explaining the cause, prompting Moldovan authorities to urge citizens to carefully weigh the necessity of travel to Russia, as well as to review official travel advisories before departing.
Those experiencing difficulties were encouraged to contact the nearest Moldovan diplomatic mission or consular office as soon as possible, with the Foreign Affairs Ministry saying it will continue monitoring the situation and updating citizens on relevant changes to entry and travel conditions in Russia.
Wider border tensions across the region
Russia’s government ordered the temporary closure of seven railway border checkpoints along its borders with Finland, Estonia and Latvia, effective from July 1, with all three countries having increasingly raised concerns over Russian military activity and hybrid threats near their territory.
Around the same time, reports surfaced that Russian authorities had discussed transporting Armenian citizens living in Russia to vote against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s allies in the parliamentary elections, prompting Armenian authorities to increasingly check male passengers arriving from Russia, issuing some of them military draft notices on the spot.
Belarus has warned citizens against travel to Russia, particularly to border areas, citing security risks. Meanwhile, Ukraine is fortifying its northern border with Belarus, with the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine constructing layered defense lines in the Chernihiv region from 2022.
As of June 22, Ukraine and Moldova can now apply for funding under the EU’s €1.1 billion ($1.26 billion) Connecting Europe Facility call to upgrade rail, port, and transport infrastructure, with their participation reflecting deepening trade ties with the EU.
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