Ukraine Residents Attempt to Escape the 'Iron Curtain' Following Russia's Annexation Declaration

Vasiliuka Checkpoint
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-seop] As Russia restricts the movement rights of local residents in the Ukrainian regions it has declared annexation of, the number of visitors to nearby reception facilities has sharply decreased. Ukrainians in the annexed areas are attempting to escape by avoiding the so-called "Iron Curtain" regulations.

According to major foreign media on the 4th (local time), only 8 people arrived at a temporary reception facility located on the southeastern border of Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on the 2nd. This is a significant drop from 50 people the previous day. The facility used to be visited by about 1,000 residents daily. Even on the 30th of last month, when Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the annexation treaty, 1,616 people visited.

In Vasylivka, it is reported that long lines have formed due to crowds trying to leave the occupied territories. Vasylivka is virtually the last point from which one can move from the occupied territories to Ukraine. Ivan Fedorov, the exiled mayor of Melitopol, stated that local residents are exploring all means to escape the occupied areas, including routes passing through the Crimean Peninsula.

However, it is currently difficult for Ukrainian residents to leave the Russian-occupied territories. In the four regions where annexation has been declared (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia), one must fill out a kind of visa application online and obtain approval before being allowed to leave the occupied areas. Applicants must disclose whether they have been conscripted into the Ukrainian military in the past nine years or registered as members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.