The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs citizens of the Republic of Moldova who intend to travel to, transit through, or stay in the territory of the Russian Federation that, in recent months, the Moldovan authorities have recorded an increasing number of cases in which Moldovan citizens have been subjected to extensive checks and additional control measures when crossing the borders of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.

According to the available information, these situations have primarily involved men between the ages of 18 and 60, individuals holding recently issued passports, persons who have traveled to Ukraine, those traveling alone, or individuals who also hold Russian citizenship.

In this context, citizens of the Republic of Moldova may be subjected to procedures such as:

• extensive inspections and questioning, which may last from 3 to 12 hours;

• temporary retention of travel documents for the duration of the checks;

• requests to sign documents concerning the processing of personal data and to grant access to mobile phones, computers, or other electronic devices;

• cases have been reported in which refusal to sign such documents resulted in denial of entry into the Russian Federation or the application of administrative measures;

• examination, copying, or downloading of data stored on electronic devices;

• photographing and fingerprint collection;

• reports indicating that some individuals were asked to undergo polygraph testing;

• questions regarding professional activities, family members, place of residence, travel to other countries, including Ukraine, as well as opinions concerning the war in Ukraine or other political matters;

• denial of entry into the Russian Federation or the application of other measures provided for under local legislation in cases of non-compliance with the authorities’ requests;

• significant delays that may result in missed flights or transport connections, without the issuance of supporting documents;

• the authorities of the Republic of Moldova have received information regarding cases in which persons held in administrative detention were pressured to sign enlistment contracts with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that citizens of the Republic of Moldova carefully assess the necessity of travel to the Russian Federation, obtain information in advance regarding entry and residence requirements, and consult the official travel advisories published by the MFA.

Citizens of the Republic of Moldova who encounter difficulties are encouraged to contact, as soon as possible, the competent diplomatic mission or consular office of the Republic of Moldova.

The MFA continues to monitor developments closely and will keep citizens of the Republic of Moldova informed of any relevant changes concerning travel and residence conditions in the Russian Federation.