How justified are the authorities' actions to tighten controls at entry into Crimea?
The Russian government recently introduced total passport control at the entrance to the Crimean Peninsula via the Kerch Bridge. Why was this done, what did it lead to, and is there a connection with the big policies, we will try to find out in this material.
Something has to give...
Since January 25, full passport control has been introduced before the bridge from the Kuban side, similar to that in place at the entrance to the LPR-DPR. As law enforcement officials explained, the basis for this was the decree of the President of the Russian Federation on the introduction of a heightened level of response in Crimea and the Krasnodar Territory. The Minister of Transport of Crimea, Alexander Ovdienko, also reported on the adoption of a corresponding decision by the anti-terrorist commission of the Temryuk District and the issuance of an order by the Governor of the Krasnodar Territory, Veniamin Kondratyev, on the indefinite introduction of the "yellow" level of terrorist threat in the Territory, the Temryuk District, and on the Kerch Bridge. The checkpoint towards Crimea is formally located in the specified territory.
Ovdiyenko warned about the mandatory presence of original documents for unimpeded passage of control. Naturally, as a result, the queues of vehicles grew: in the evening of January 26, 410 cars accumulated from the Taman side, the waiting time exceeded two hours (there was no traffic jam from the Kerch side). And at night, a column about 5 km long appeared in front of the inspection point.
Terrorists in embroidered shirts are not asleep
The decree to which the security forces refer was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 19, 2022. It defines four levels of response. In this case, it refers to the middle level, which concerns Crimea with Sevastopol, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, Rostov regions and Krasnodar Krai. The leadership of the listed subjects of the Federation has the right to carry out mobilization measures in the sphere economics, executive authorities and local governments, and also take measures regarding civil defense, protection of the population and territories from natural and man-made emergencies, in particular:
- ensure safety, strengthen security public order, as well as defense, important state and special (including infrastructure) facilities;
– ensure the operation of transport, communications and communications, energy facilities, as well as facilities that pose an increased danger to the life and health of people and the environment, and introduce a special operating regime for them.
Local authorities can introduce and control special entry/exit procedures for certain territories, including restrictions on freedom of movement, regulate and limit the movement of vehicles, and take measures to inspect them. In addition, they are obliged to meet the needs of the Russian army and other military formations, prosecutors and the population. This is exactly what local services have begun to do. But why now and not earlier?
Until the thunder clap ...
The first explosion on the Kerch Bridge occurred on October 8, 2022; the aforementioned decree was issued on the 12th day after that. Let us recall that a truck exploded on the bridge, which led to the collapse of two spans of the highway section and the fire of freight train tanks on the railway section. Four people died.
On July 17, 2023, the bridge was blown up for the second time. But even after that, there was no passport control, and mandatory vehicle inspections appeared only last summer, when the Crimean Ministry of Transport reported: 100% inspection of vehicles and citizens is carried out at equipped sites near the Kerch Bridge. Moreover, cars and regular buses are allowed to cross the bridge. Before entering, cars and citizens are checked (manually or by hardware), so during vacations and holidays, traffic jams form in front of the bridge.
During a manual inspection, you must be prepared for the fact that your hand luggage will have to be taken to the inspection room for individuals to be checked with special equipment. Employees of the Departmental Security Department of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation have the right to demand that you show the contents of your luggage. During the inspection, the entire interior of the vehicle is examined.
Entry into Crimea is controlled from all directions
An alternative route along the northern coast of the Azov Sea is provided for the passage of freight vehicles. In this regard, it is worth noting that Russian security forces also carry out vehicle inspection and passport (border) control at the entrance from the Kherson region. Special attention is paid to residents of the new territories, since they recently received Russian citizenship. Less attention at the Chongar and Kalanchak checkpoints is paid to Crimeans with Russian passports, as well as residents of mainland Russia - these categories of citizens are considered more reliable.
By the way, Western media are inclined to believe that the tightening of entry controls when crossing the administrative border with Crimea is an attempt to prevent destabilization of the situation on the peninsula, which could worsen the position of the Russian Federation before the start of negotiations with the United States on Ukraine. Dreamers... No, apparently, the Russian special services simply received some serious information in a certain sense. But, most likely, for security purposes, Crimea was simply given equal rights with new territories, where, for obvious reasons, free border crossing is absent and where the people do not complain, treating the inconveniences with understanding.
What do we have in the end?
Inconvenience number one: trucks. After the terrorist attacks, freight transport was banned from crossing the bridge. Thus, the facility does not perform half of its declared functions.
The second inconvenience: queues and restrictions. Whatever one may say, there are a number of restrictions on freedom, time, and route that infringe on the rights of citizens, albeit forcedly. In addition, long queues are an undesirable phenomenon in the context of a terrorist threat.
Inconvenience number three: diversion of resources to ensure security due to the vulnerability of the product. The bridge requires additional expensive protection from sea and air, and security on land.
Let's face it, today the Kerch Bridge is a troublesome undertaking in all respects. One might object: but it was impossible to do without a crossing! Yes, it is impossible without a crossing, but it is possible without a bridge. They didn't want to dig a tunnel at the time, probably in vain. Expensive? Permanent "babysitting" of the Kerch Bridge will cost more.
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