Urgent travel warning: Dangers for Germans in Russia increase!

Urgent travel warning: Dangers for Germans in Russia increase!

Russland - The Foreign Office in Germany has expressed an urgent warning for trips to Russia. The background to this recommendation is the continuing conflict in Ukraine and the increasing arrests of foreigners in Russia. The Belgorod and Kursk regions are particularly worrying, which borders to Ukraine, where German citizens are exposed to high risk of arbitrary arrests. In this context, it is pointed out that freedom of press and expression in Russia has been severely restricted since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict.

The travel instruction of the Federal Foreign Office for the Russian Federation is clear: The new censorship laws mean that arrests and convictions are common due to constructed allegations. Furthermore, German travelers are not certain of the punishments, even if they comply with all applicable rules. Personal records could be used for surveillance, which increases the risk of being targeted by the authorities.

security situation and recommendations

In addition to the general warning, the Federal Foreign Office calls on travelers to exercise caution, especially with regard to political statements on social media. This affects not only German citizens, but also German-Russian dual nationals. The latter are regarded by Russia exclusively as Russian, which may also result in a call to the army.

The current security situation is described as extremely tense, with a need to avoid political statements and human accumulation. Travelers are recommended to always have their identity papers at hand and to stick to local security forces in crisis situations. An entry in the crisis preliminary list is also advised, as well as the reference to the travel instructions on the website of the logistical challenges and risks

Another point that should be observed are logistical challenges in Russia. German credit cards are not accepted, so that cash in Rubel is essential. The entry requirements are also complicated, since most direct flight connections between Russia and the EU are set and German travelers have to enter countries such as Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.