Borders Russia-Ukraine updates ?
 

Hi there,


Pretty soon I will be in Georgia. I am riding my way back to Western Europe.
The plan is to try to pick up the Russian visa in Tblissi and then head north from there.
I am obviously aware of the tensions between Russia and Ukraine over the Crimea/Donbass issues. How far north do I have to ride to find a safe/open borderpost between the 2 countries ?
Cheers,


Levelo.

go to Voronezh and from there to Kursk, Kiev and then to Europe

Above is a good route, an alternative is to turn off the M4 just north of Pavlov, then drive through Rossosh to Belgorod and Kharkiv in Ukraine, then to Kyiv etc

Alex and Eurasia, thanks for your answers.


So both borderposts ( Kursk to Kiev and Belgorod to Kharkiv ) are open ?


Can I use the M4 on the way up ?
It goes through Rostov/Don, so pretty close to the Donbass troubled area. Do you think it is OK to ride through ? I am cycling.


EO : thanks for pointing out this possible route to me. Have you used it ? On my map Rossoch is located to the southwest of Pavlov. Is there a road from Pavlov straight to Belgorod ?


Thanks.


Levelo.

The border was open in mid 2014 and I have no reason to think it is not still open. It is pretty far from the fighting, in un-disputed territory.

Yes, M4 is fine, the trouble is only in Ukraine. If you're on a bicycle I would stick to back roads as they will be much calmer and safer (from the point of view of getting hit by a car etc). The M4 gets very busy in summer as Russians head down to the coast for holidays.

I have driven the Pavlov - Rossosh - Belgorod road, it's quite a nice route (nothing spectacular of course). There is a more direct road south of Pavlov connecting to Rossosh, but it gets very close to the Ukrainian border. It's safe (the area on the other side is still under Ukrainian control), but you may be entering a Russian border zone, where you should not enter without a permit. You risk having to turn back if you encounter a border zone, or worse if you are caught inside the border zone without a permit.

EO

As helpful and concise as ever EO, many thanks !
I am hoping to be able to ride from the Georgia-Russia border to the Russia-Ukraine border in a month ( probably the duration of the tourist visa I will be given, if I am successful in Tbilissi ), so I am looking for the shortest ( and safest ) route possible. Then Ukraine should be more leisurely, as a EU Citizen I can travel there for 3 months visa-free.

I just crossed into Ukraine from Russia, using the Belgorod-Kharkiv border crossing. A bit slow on the Russian side, efficient on the Ukrainian one. As a cyclist I got the pedestrian treatment, which is way faster than travelling with a motor vehicle ( long lines of trucks and buses ).
Note that coming from Georgia this border crossing is most likely the first one open on the route going west back to Europe. I met one motorcyclist ( non-Ukrainian and non-Russian ) who was turned back twice at the Crimea/Ukraine " border " and at the Taganrog/Mariopol border crossing along the Sea of Azov.
Hope that helps.
L.

Good to hear, glad you made the trip successfully.

I think you might be right regards the Belgorod - Kharkiv border being the furthest east which is open to non-locals, but there may also be smaller crossings in Kharkiv Region. Also, as I understand, the north of Luhansk Region is under Ukrainian control (with Sieverodonetsk as the acting regional capital), so there might be some crossing there open to all passport holders. However, I doubt we'll hear of anyone crossing at them as they are off major routes.

Good luck on your continuing journey through Ukraine. If you're still in the north, don't miss Novhorod Siverskyi. The Carpathians are also fantastic :)

EO

Hi EO,


I didn't want to chance it with border crossings further east, I am cycling and backtracking would have been a drag on a 30 day Russian tourist visa.
No hassles whasoever in Russia even in the Caucasus. But I stayed on the main road from Vladikavkaz to Pyatigorsk. Just these endless wheat and sunflower fields... And the damn hills !


I went via Rossosh, I followed the Don on minor roads for part of the way, it was quite nice indeed.


I am currently unwinding in Kharkiv which is a nice, leafy town.


Off to Kyiv soon, most likely via Myrhorod. I won't make it to Novhorod-Siverskyi.


I rode through Western Ukraine back in the 90's, including the Carpathians. I am happy to go be going back on my route back to Western Europe :)).
I am longing for some cool mountain air...


Best,


L.