The border on the edge.

Vitaly Pozdnyakov, rusrep.ru, 9 parts

How to beat the contraband, if the whole city against you?

When the Soviet Union collapsed, the border of Russia and Ukraine took place directly on the outskirts of the city of Donetsk fifty thousand Rostov region. Many mines achieved if the work population of the district, were closed. To the question "What is now making?" And a new short answer: smuggling. Under the ground pulled kilometers homemade pipes for Russian citizens began to pump cheapest diesel citizens of Ukraine. The correspondent of "PP" with the guards came to the protection of the state border, but survived only a couple of night shifts: hard to defend their homeland not from strangers, but from their own.





2.Rabotayut "chips»

Outside the window dark. I sit in a small room only hotel in Donetsk and in the spy film, without stopping, looking at cell phone on the table: forward when it rings and the cold monotonous voice on the phone tells me another job. Phone finally rattling, and after a few seconds I was standing in the street, catching the eyes of the right vehicle. Inside, two men in the dark, or distinguish their faces, no titles.

Donetsk is not much different from other provincial cities. And the more a night Donetsk. We're going on a completely empty streets. It seems that life here still. It seems ...

Occasionally passing by "Niva" and "Patriots", all as if, after the rally, top to bottom in the mud. Border guards oddly escorted them look at each other in silence and then sharply curtail the nearest yard ...

- Something happened? - Catch the total voltage.

- Almost all SUVs in the city - from smugglers or, more precisely - by carriers. Vidal is splashed? Dirt fresh. On fields chase: can scout locations, and maybe the goods are going to float.

- How do you know that this is the smugglers? Maybe they just did not wash the car for a long time.

- They do not have spare wheels behind. Take off. They sometimes on such potholes have to go, but still loaded and at a decent speed. From this, together with mounting the spare tire pulls. Now we check out a few points, if there are "chips" on duty, probably tonight, something will.

"Chips" or "fishkaryami" border guards called the locals working on the smugglers and for a fee to merge them with information on the movements of border guards in the city. A chance to meet on the streets of Donetsk of informants increased in the evening, especially in the area where the smugglers are going to ship the goods. At that time, virtually every street corner at a roadside stand cars with one or two passengers. And if on the way to the service, or even a personal car rides the border guard, it almost immediately became known colleagues "black shop" around the city.

- They've got a whole network. They are constantly on duty near the department and at the entrances, where we live, know the number and brand of our machines. They would be under the sign of OPG, since the court did not prove - formally because they do not break.



3.Rabotaet "contra»

- And a lot of "chips" to pay for the information?

- Yes penny. Although permanent "fishkari" night may cleaver (thousand rubles. - "PP") to earn. But it is the ceiling, and then under the condition that the goods managed to smuggle. And if we take, they will be free to work as long as the value of goods is not reimbursed.

- We have here a few weeks ago took the party - enters conversation another border guard. - Later it was estimated at seven million rubles. I do not know how many of these "fishkari" will now work out his mistake. And spent it at all ...

We turn from the highway onto a dirt road. Often smugglers detained right here: the border guards know that the road is a dead end - from then on Ukraine, which borders with the site can not cross. Generally Donetsk ways in which from Ukraine to Russia and back is possible to deliver the contraband, not so much. And their border guards know and try to control. But for any actions outfits in the border zone and smugglers know - thanks to all the same "chip».

- They are for the day, and even earlier activated in the area where the goods will go, some on foot - like walking, others by car ride on the way there and back. But we are no longer in the car to drive, once slept. So you have more than a dozen kilometers on foot reel bypass before going out in the specified area.

Sometimes played at all the spy passions advance leaving an ambush, Donetsk guards on duty at first get rid of the "tail" - winds through the back streets, throw your car, go on foot, catch a taxi, again lost in the city to enter the land unnoticed. And it must be done before the "chips».

- So, basically working on a tip?

- Always. We operatives reported location and estimated time and we are already working. Himself forbidden to collect such information - so eliminates the possibility to enter into an agreement with "counter».

The proposed area trespassing guards operate according to the rules of classic not military, not the spyware detective.

- Masquerading, but how else? Sometimes even "fishkari" two steps away from you, and were not noticed. But we do not react to them. The point? Slept only vain and bring them nothing you can: local can move freely in the border zone.

- And now something expected?

- No. But still need to check. Anything can happen. Okay, come. Then go on foot.



4.Rabotaet «secret»

- Sucks ... Night, unfortunately, moon. And the sky is clear.

We walk through the field. In front of a few wooden houses - the private sector. Light in windows no longer illuminated. We try to keep quiet, and all of it turns out, except for me under foot the branch hrustnet, the empty plastic bottle crackling. Ahead of reaching the border guards in the thoughts have probably long been likened me to "fishkaryam", not otherwise.

On the road on which we drove recently, there are several cars. Closely watching the headlights. No, the car rolled up into the yard of a house. We continue to watch, sitting in the gutter, the benefit is a polyurethane pad.

- "Counter" night vision and thermal imaging is often used. Yes, and many have a walkie-talkie.

Border guards boast such equipment can not always. Yes, and their powers are regulated in detail, and in fact, limited. So, to prosecute and detain them in the city is not recommended. The only option - take attackers directly while trespassing or the border regime, and various instructions spelled out exactly how they should take, and then comes to curiosity.

- If you act strictly according to instructions, I have to be dressed in a special reflective vest with the words "Border Service", with a lantern and a striped stick in his hand, and with the appearance on the road at the offending car like that illuminate themselves - the border guard makes a few circular motions hand in front of him. - And indicate "counterrevolutionaries" for him to stop.

- Yeah, so they stop. Only laugh, but still can knock down. Therefore, without it anywhere - the border guard slams the bag with "thread waste" (unobtrusive barrier is a complex weave of steel wire out of them without the help of special tools is almost impossible. - "PP"). - A "counterrevolutionaries", seeing it almost always stop themselves - know that still will not be able to go far. Yes, and do not want to spoil the car: it because it is being returned - we have such laws.

These same laws, regulations, and even a bunch of various regulatory documents November 25, 2006, and guided by the chief of department in the city Gukovo Colonel Konstantin Podkavyrov. Powered by the last time.

- Then there was information that will go to a large party of contraband - says a border guard. - Our put two posts. Through the first violators raced at high speed. The second was a senior Podkavyrov he car blocked the road and he went out to meet offenders - made all the instructions ... Well ...

- There's blow was so strong that even our injured driver who Podkavyrov left in the car. But it almost in half ... died on the spot ... ... Cool guy was with us he often went dresses. Tajikistan passed. Living out back. And then ...

Apply "thread waste," we still have not had a chance: as investigators warned today "doubles", unlike us, have not worked. We go to the border office (so is now officially called outposts). Along the way, still clings on duty "tail" "fishkarey." Where do without you guys?



5.Rabotaet department

- I heard the phrase that border guards all the people? So this is not about our site. - Head office in Donetsk their experiences willingly shares: pent. - When you fight with a gang of petty smugglers - this one. And when a whole city, which is also very live - quite another.

The officer took a report from the border guards, with whom I worked in the "secret", and sent them home to sleep off - soon they will again outfit. He also did not sleep all night: it seems some information from investigators still do, and the officer personally supervised the situation and military action in various areas.

- Somehow us from the other side (the right bank of the Seversky Donets River - is Ukrainian territory. - "PP") or whether "Saiga", whether this Kalash some type Mach shouting that all of us will shoot. - That we return to the subject of relations with the local community. - Apparently upset that it took the load directly in front of him as soon as he ferried across the border.

The small, two-story, white brick - building branch more like an old country club or library. When viewed from the street, would not think that here twenty-four hours a day, led by guard albeit small across the country, but quite a busy and difficult section of the border. But inside the building literally smell the army. No, not the foot bindings and shoe polish - it's a different smell: here at once with all your senses feel the tension, and the severity of this army discipline. Reinforces this impression of the interior of classic military in the Soviet style: track old linoleum color children's surprise, half-covered with plywood walls, gray door with red signs, report it - consumer services room, and it is - room entertainment. At the end of "Vzletka" because of one such door I heard someone remark:

- Yes, I have the seventh day of berets not vylazhu. I think as I get home and remove them as a wife to faint and fall.

From the room came the laughter.

- It oemdeshniki (Department of mobile operations. - "PP") - my question ahead of head of department.

Past us and then pass the young men: all contractors (since 2007 acquisition of the border is carried out exclusively on a professional basis. - "PP") in a new form, different from the army "yudashkinskoy." With old Soviet posters on the walls of the guys have in common stern expression. Why - you know fast: the slightest negligence on the border is expensive.



6.Rabotayut «moles»

The method of smuggling of fuels and lubricants Donetsk is quite simple: to build underground pipe connected to a portable pump station it - and all the illegal transport path of diesel fuel in Ukraine is ready. The difference in price, and it is almost eight rubles per liter, for one day only can bring more than a million rubles of income. In this respect, Donetsk - a truly unique place: perhaps nowhere at the border do not meet such an original way to smuggle as laying pipes underground. At least so says the press service of the Rostov border management.

For such a scheme operated successfully and brought substantial income, needed just two components. The first is called "mole" - a special machine for laying pipes, which the operator only sets the depth and direction of horizontal drilling, occasionally adjusting it via GPS, the machine will do the rest itself: she immediately concreted walls of the hole with a mixture of fast-drying, so that after a few hours pipe ready for transport fuels. The second component - a channel of delivery and distribution of goods. Organizers and those channels are the roof, take the very difficult: all the dirty work is done all the same "chips", carriers and other employees who often do not even know to whom work and who pays them.

Underground fuel transportation - the phenomenon in Donetsk relatively recent. Previously, the smugglers acted boldly drove tanks on trucks that were almost columns. This explains the presence of frank audacity to secure the roof to the local police, and in the border troops, too. But since Russian border guards handed over to the FSB, the smugglers had to hide channels pumping fuel underground.

Today, such pipes between Russia and Ukraine is getting smaller. But a few years ago they were the scourge of the region.

- We did not have time to dismantle them. Only one zalesh special blend right there appear a few. It Gorgon some: a head frame, and in its place two same grow, - says head of department.

But now, the border guards have hard times. The first reason - the load on the site is large, and people do not have. And dismiss most of it is for this reason can not stand morally.

- The best reward - a weekend or a day of leave. We do not need more - meet border guards to my question about how to encourage their detention for smuggling.

The second reason - the lack of real penalties for involvement in smuggling activities. No, the Administrative Code, it is, of course, spelled out: a fine, if the amount of illegally transported goods does not exceed one and a half million rubles. But this threshold smugglers today and do not cross, thereby avoiding prosecution. A fine - well, what can we do, we work it out.

- In Europe, it has long been sent out to the border zone. They have such a policy: you live near the border - to cooperate with the local authorities. For this borderland residents even receive subsidies - he says in the Moscow correspondent of "PP" the retired border guard officers. - In the Soviet Union there was a similar practice. Now this is not, and the young guards do not understand what good is that they do not come home for days without seeing their wives and children: contraband as a result do not become less. And from this comes the disappointment in everything: in the service, and in-laws in the country.



7.Rabotaet information

Another night in the "secret." At the entrance to Donetsk we are waiting for the first "trick": splashed with mud on the roof "Niva" is started, as soon as we pass by. Lights driver does not include, in order not to attract attention. It is late. Border guards noticed it right away, and now we have before going out on the hunt, not only will break this "tail", but also from other "chips" that SUV driver must have already reported on the appearance of the boundary order. Yes, I work hard when you have to compete in agility not to some individual attacker, but in fact the whole city.

Can not break away surprisingly quickly. Within a few minutes to leave the car at some deserted and dark corner - more like the last time, you have to go on foot. Only now striding have much more: the border guards received information that in one of the private sector tonight for homemade pipe will be pumped diesel fuel to Ukraine, but because we need to be sure one hundred percent that we were no "tail" and said area we went unnoticed. But exactly where contraband flow, we do not know.

Three hours later, we leave to the specified area. Mainly single-storey houses with low fences, front gardens and orchards. Despite the late hour, the eroded dirt road and then there are the lonely passers-by. Somehow, they all fold into the courtyard of the old with the mind of an abandoned house with a rickety iron gate marked "Reception-ferrous metal" and a bunch of scrap metal lying in front of her.

- It's a cover. Legend. To avert suspicion - barely audible says one of the guards.

The object is detected. Hidden go around the house with no streetlights illuminated side, where we will be difficult to observe, and take a stand. It now remains to wait for the carrier arrives.

We hear the sound of an approaching car, the voltage increases. No, the car passes by. Then she's going back. Whenever it is followed by "Niva". Border guards do not say anything, just show me on the shoulder straps: in the first car - their own, which is aligned for the "tail».

Forty minutes later, the iron gates finally opened: Courtyard enters the car, judging by the sound of the engine - "a gazelle."












































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