UPDATE: Russia to launch border control for foreigners coming via Belarus

(Adds details in last paragraph)

MOSCOW/MINSK, May 5 (PRIME) -- Ñitizens and planes of third countries coming to Russia from Belarus and vice versa will pass border control starting from May 15, Grigory Rapota, the state secretary of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, told PRIME on Friday.

“Starting from May 15, 2017, all flights carried out between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus will be switched to international sectors of Russian airports. The Russian side will implement border control of aircraft and passengers that are citizens of third countries coming from the Republic of Belarus and flying back,” he said.

“Border control of citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus that will fly these planes will not be implemented.”

He added that Russians and Belarusians will still be able to use their own internal passports to pass the border.

Oleg Lyashuk, head of the border control department of the State Border Committee of Belarus, said that Minsk does not plan to introduce border control of internal flights between Belarus and Russia as it sees no reason for that.

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