Belarusian Authorities Are Afraid That Citizens Flee To Ukraine On Boats

• 20.11.2023, 10:21

They’ve imposed new restrictions.

The Naroulia District Executive Committee issued the decision dated October 30, 2023. They restricted the use of small vessels on the Belarusian part of the Slavechna River, according to Flagshtok.

An exception is made for rowing boats. And also for rescue boats “protecting the lives of people on the waters used for rescue, rescue and search operations.”

Thus, motorboats were banned in the waters of the Slavechna River in the Naroulia region.

The decision refers to articles of the Water Code of the Republic of Belarus. After the outbreak of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the regional executive committees of the Homel region limited access for small vessels to the Sozh and Dniapro rivers near the state border.

The Slavechna River begins in the territory of Ukraine, there are 49 km of the channel, on the territory of Belarus - 109 km. The state border between Belarus and Ukraine runs along its bed In the Elsk and Naroulia districts.

The regional executive committee of the Elsk district, which also has a state border with Ukraine along the Slavechna River, has not yet issued such a decision.