Paul Goble
Staunton, July 10 – Among the most highly valued rights that Russians gained with the collapse of the Soviet system was the right to travel abroad at will rather than having to get the permission of the authorities to do so. Consequently, any report that Moscow is planning to reintroduce such a system draws angry denials.
This week, the We Can Explain telegram channel said that its sources in the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Presidential Administration said that such restrictions were under discussion and preparing to take just such a step (t.me/mozhemobyasnit/23637 and echofm.online/news/rossijskij-mid-gotovit-zakonoproekt-o-vvedenii-vyezdnyh-viz-mozhem-obyasnit).
That report immediately drew an angry reaction from the foreign ministry which described it as classic disinformation by foreign agents and pointing out that it had been disseminated only by outlets that had been identified as working for Russia’s enemies (https://www.rbc.ru/politics/10/07/2026/6a50ee639a7947707e6d98ed).
But despite that denial, many Russians are likely to be disturbed by the initial reports especially as they suggested that the Kremlin planned to introduce it gradually so as to test the waters and to present such restrictions as part of a Russian government effort to “protect” Russians who might travel abroad.
According to the We Can Explain portal, “the proposal is that tourists from the Russian Federation would only be able to travel to 'unfriendly' countries (NATO nations) in groups of at least 10 people, accompanied by a guide and following an approved itinerary. This will be presented as a measure 'for the safety of Russian citizens.'"
Presumably, if the reports are true, the Russian government will gradually tighten the system and require exit visas for Russians who want to travel to any country and not just NATO member states. But even if they are not, such stories will increase both the fears and angers of the Russian population about what the Kremlin intends.
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