"Even in Uzbekistan or Belarus": Russian officials complicate trips abroad - Reuters

According to journalists, the FSB puts pressure on Russian ministries so that they do not leave Russia at all, even to visit "friendly" countries. The Russian Federation complicates trips abroad for some officials because of fears that other countries can access state secrets. About it writes Reuters with reference to nine sources.

According to sources, the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB) puts pressure on officials, in particular on ministries, so that they do not leave the territory of the Russian Federation, even for visiting "friendly countries". According to the publication, in the West, the rules of foreign travel for persons with access to state secrets are also rigid, but the current restrictions on the Russian Federation are "somewhat chaotic".

Sources claim that in Russia the rules of departure differ for representatives of different state departments. "You will not be able to go anywhere, even to Uzbekistan or Belarus for May holidays. You can only go if you have permission," one of the agency's interlocutors said. According to sources, the main reason for strengthening the rules of departure is the fears of the Kremlin that Russian officials "can be trapped and forced to issue secrets affecting national security.

" Another concern is the fact that officials can be delayed. One source noted that the government of the government in 2022 was unofficially forbidden to travel. In mid -2023, this event was officially adopted. However, similar restrictions now also concern representatives of all ministries admitted to state secrets. The publication noted that the definition of "state mystery" in the Russian Federation is quite wide, and after the war it expanded even more.

The source of the agency in the Russian Parliament noted that any travel abroad was prohibited from the Lower House of the State Duma of Russia. This person noted that she could not even go to neighboring Belarus. Another official told reporters that the Ministry of Internal Affairs, FSB and Rosgvardi employees can only go on vacation in only 14 countries. These are mostly post -Soviet countries, as well as Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria.

According to the official, even a trip to China is in question because of extradition problems. Another source stated that the carriers of the State Security Service for several months banned travel to both unfriendly and friendly countries, except for a significant reason - illness or funeral. Another person stated that the officials of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation banned all trips abroad except business.

According to him, one of the officials would have to be released when it became known that his son was studying in the United States. In addition, according to an employee of one of the Russian state -owned companies, passports of employees who have access to state secrets are stored in a special internal department. We will remind, according to the media of April 4, Rosgvardia and FSB staff conducted searches at the office of manufacturers of the missile "Zircon".