Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has drafted orders abolishing border zones in the Rostov and Voronezh regions, as well as the border zone between annexed Crimea and the occupied part of the Kherson region. The documents were flagged by the outlet Agentstvo.
The agency proposes to invalidate its own orders that regulated border zones in these regions. Those orders made travel to and from the territories annexed in 2022 nearly indistinguishable from crossing a state border.
The FSB explains the changes by the "admission to the Russian Federation" of the Kherson region, the "DPR" and the "LPR." Now their borders run along a "state border adjacent to the territory of a foreign state," so the border zone will be determined only with respect to territories adjoining the state border, not former administrative boundaries.
In Crimea, the border zone will remain, but only "within the limits of the Black Sea islands belonging to the Russian Federation." Specific entry points, hours, and warning signs will be set by the regional FSB directorate.