Belarus shuts escape route for draft-eligible Russians barred from leaving

Minsk synchronized its border control database with Moscow, meaning Russians who have received electronic draft notices will no longer be allowed to cross the Belarusian border.

“If the response says travel is not restricted, then please, you may leave Belarusian territory. If travel is banned, all questions are for the Russian Federation. If a person is in the database, they will not be allowed out,” Belarus’ State Border Committee said.

Belsat reported the first known case of a Russian citizen with an electronic draft notice being stopped from leaving Belarus on April 27. The man, from St. Petersburg, had received a draft notice and was due to report for a medical examination on April 29. Instead, he tried to fly from Minsk to Tbilisi and then to Yerevan, but was removed from the flight and told he was barred from leaving.