‘The most terrifying 11 hours of my life’: What really happens when you cross Russia’s border? Meduza’s readers share their stories.

Crossing Russia's border has become a daunting experience for many, both those living abroad and those residing within the country. Meduza recently asked readers to share their border crossing experiences, receiving accounts from Russian expats and people who still live in Russia. While some had smooth crossings, others faced long waits, interrogations, and additional scrutiny.

Anton, who travels abroad for vacations, has been questioned twice by border guards in the past two years. He finds it frustrating that he gets interrogated when returning home, while others can enter Russia without any issues. Dmitry, who has visited Russia three times in the past four years, says he always passes through without incident, feeling like a tourist in his own country.

Anatoly, who travels to Russia once a year for a couple of months, advises bringing an internal passport to speed up the process. However, during his last visit, he faced a 30-minute interrogation, during which the border guard took him to a room and questioned him extensively about his personal life and connections. Zhenechka, who visited Russia in the fall of 2024, was stuck in a queue for 11 hours, fearing that her laptop might be seized and her private data exposed.

Arkady, a transgender individual with a nervous system disorder, had a challenging experience traveling to Russia just before New Year's in 2025. He took precautions like using a borrowed phone and removing potentially incriminating data, but still faced a lengthy security screening process. Arkady had to wait five hours at a security checkpoint before being allowed to leave the airport.

For family reasons, Anatoly has visited Russia six times since November 2025, with only minor issues at the border. However, he notes that the real challenge lies in the lengthy car lines to enter Russia, with crossing times ranging from four to 17 hours.