The contents of the Russian Danger Information are revised.
Danger level
Areas surrounding the border with Ukraine
Level 4: Please evacuate. Please do not travel. (Evacuation Advisory) (Continued)
Areas excluding areas surrounding the border with Ukraine (including the capital city of Moscow)
Level 3: Please do not travel. （Level 3: Do not travel (advisory to suspend travel) (continued)
Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the areas surrounding the border with Ukraine have been damaged by shelling and other means, and the situation remains dangerous. Please do not travel to these areas for any purpose. Those who are already in these areas are urged to evacuate immediately.
Since February 25, 2022, EU member states and other countries have prohibited Russian aircraft from flying over their airspace, and Russia has taken countermeasures to prohibit flights over its own airspace. Currently, it is possible to fly to and from Russia on flights operated by various airlines such as Turkey, UAE, Qatar, China, and Uzbekistan, but it should be noted that depending on the future situation, the means of departure from Russia may be restricted.
International credit card (VISA, Master, etc.) payment services have been suspended in Russia. There are also various restrictions on international remittances between banks. Regarding foreign currency cash, both Japan and Russia have established restrictions on taking out and bringing in foreign currency cash.
Since the start of the invasion of Ukraine, there have been incidents of drones flying over Russian territory. Although there have been occasional flights to various areas away from the border, including the Moscow area, it has been announced that most of them have been destroyed by Russian air defense systems.
Although there has been no deterioration in general security due to the prolonged invasion of Ukraine, there have been incidents of bombings and deaths of the daughter of a prominent Russian political thinker in Moscow Oblast in August 2022 and a military blogger in St. Petersburg in April 2023, respectively, and a Russian government official has been targeted and killed. On March 22, 2024, a terrorist shooting at the Crocus City Hall, a concert venue about 20 kilometers northwest of downtown Moscow, resulted in numerous casualties. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has issued a statement on this incident, and we must continue to be vigilant. In June 2024, in the Republic of Dagestan (North Caucasus region), religious and security facilities were attacked by armed groups.
Due to these circumstances, we will continue to maintain a Level 3 alert for all areas of Russia, except for areas surrounding the border with Ukraine. Please do not travel to Russia. However, from the perspective of securing the livelihood of those already in the country, if you are traveling to or staying in Moscow to perform a truly unavoidable mission of public interest, please take special precautions and take adequate safety measures while maintaining close contact with the local embassy. Please also be aware that if the domestic situation suddenly changes, your means of leaving Russia may be further restricted.
Details
1 Outline
(1) Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the areas surrounding the border with Ukraine have been damaged by artillery shelling, and the situation remains dangerous. Please do not travel to these areas for any purpose. Those who are already in these areas should evacuate immediately. In addition, drones have been seen frequently in Bryansk, Kursk, Belgorod, Voronezh, and Rostov Oblasts, even outside the border areas. Please do not travel to these oblasts.
(2) Since February 25, 2022, as a measure against Russia, EU member states and other countries have prohibited Russian aircraft from flying in their airspace, and Russia has also taken countermeasures against these countries prohibiting its own airspace flights, and international air flights to and from many countries have been suspended. On March 5 of the same year, the Russian government advised Russian airlines with aircraft registered to foreign registry in the country to suspend passenger and cargo transportation to Russia. On the other hand, flights to Russia are still stable, with an increase in flights to Turkey and the Middle East (UAE and Qatar), as well as flights via Uzbekistan and China. However, please be aware that air traffic may be severely restricted again depending on the domestic situation surrounding Russia in the future.
(3) Payment services for international credit cards issued abroad (Visa, Master, etc.) have been suspended in Russia. There are also various restrictions on international money transfers between banks. Regarding foreign currency cash, both Japan and Russia have set restrictions on taking out and bringing in foreign currency cash, and caution should be exercised when staying in Russia.
(4) In terms of safety, in April 2017, a bomb attack by Central Asian nationals occurred in the subway system in St. Petersburg, resulting in numerous casualties, and there have been a number of terrorist incidents and terrorist plots uncovered in various parts of Russia. In the North Caucasus region, in particular, there have been many attacks by armed groups and suicide bombings in the past, and there were fatalities in 2023 and 2024. Against this backdrop, a shooting attack occurred in March 2024 at the “Crocus City Hall” concert venue in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant” (ISIL) has issued a statement regarding this incident, and we must continue to be vigilant.
Since the start of the invasion of Ukraine, there have been occasional incidents of drones flying into Russian territory, including the Moscow area, and into various areas away from the border, most of which have been reportedly destroyed by Russian air defense systems and other means. In August 2022, the daughter of a prominent Russian thinker was killed in a bombing in Moscow Oblast, and in April 2023, a military blogger was killed in a bombing in St. Petersburg.
According to the crime statistics published by the Russian Ministry of the Interior, the number of “crimes of a terrorist nature” in 2023 was 2,382 (2,233 in 2022). (Note: This statistic includes crimes allegedly committed by “Ukrainian nationalists” and others. (The number of cases before the invasion of Ukraine and the spread of the new coronavirus (2019) was 1,849 per year.)
(5) At present, there has been no deterioration in general security due to the prolonged invasion of Ukraine. However, there have been sporadic protests in various parts of Russia, including an incident in October 2023 in the Republic of Dagestan (North Caucasus region) in which several hundred people entered an airport to oppose the landing of an Israeli plane, an incident in June 2024 in the Republic of Dagestan’s capital, Makhachkala, and an incident in the south of Dagestan in which a group of armed people attacked a Russian Orthodox church, a Jewish place of worship, and the facilities of a security agency in Delvent. In June 2024, a Russian Orthodox church, a Jewish house of worship, and a security agency were attacked by a group of armed men in the capital, Makhachkala, and the southern city of Derbent, resulting in multiple casualties. In January 2024, a protest against the trial of a local environmental activist in the Republic of Bashkortostan led to clashes with security agencies.
(6) In any case, taking the above circumstances into consideration, please make sure to obtain the latest security information from overseas safety websites and news reports, and take appropriate and adequate safety measures according to the situation.
2 Situation by Region
(1) Areas surrounding the border with Ukraine
Level 4: Please evacuate. Please do not travel. (Continued)
The areas surrounding the border with Ukraine are still in a dangerous situation due to shelling and other damage. Please do not travel to these areas for any purpose. If you are already in the area, please evacuate immediately.
Since April 2022, the Russian security authorities have been increasing their vigilance against terrorist attacks by “Ukrainian nationalists” and others, and have raised the terrorism alert level in the vicinity of the Ukrainian border (Bryansk, Belgorod, Kursk, etc.) to the second out of three levels.
(2) Areas excluding areas near the border with Ukraine (including the city of Moscow)
Level 3: Do not travel. (Advisory to cease travel) (Continued)
a. Since February 25, 2022, the EU and other countries have prohibited Russian aircraft from flying over their airspace as a measure against Russia, and Russia has also taken countermeasures against these countries by prohibiting their own airspace flights, which has resulted in restrictions on air flights from Russia to foreign countries. In addition, international credit cards (VISA, Master, etc.) have suspended their payment operations in Russia, and restrictions have been set on taking out and bringing in foreign currency cash. Due to these circumstances, please do not travel to these areas. However, from the perspective of securing the livelihood of those already in the country, if you are traveling to or staying in Moscow to perform a truly unavoidable mission of public interest, please take special precautions and take adequate security measures while maintaining close contact with the local embassy. In addition, please note that if the situation changes suddenly, your means of leaving Russia may be further restricted, so please keep yourself updated on the latest situation.
In August 2022, the daughter of a prominent Russian politician and ideologue was killed in Moscow Oblast by a Russian drone. In August 2022, the daughter of a prominent Russian political ideologue was killed in a bombing in Moscow Oblast, and in April 2023, a military blogger was killed in a bombing in St. Petersburg. In addition, in March 2024, a terrorist shooting occurred at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant” (ISIL) has issued a statement on this case, and vigilance is required in the future.
c. At present, there is no deterioration of general security due to the prolonged invasion of Ukraine. However, there is a possibility that the situation may change in the future, and caution is required.
In addition, political rallies and other events that attract a large number of participants may cause chaos. In particular, protest rallies that criticize the administration usually take place without the permission of the security authorities, and regardless of the size of the rally, the authorities are likely to detain and otherwise strictly control the participants. To avoid unnecessary trouble, please stay away from these rallies and demonstrations, and if you encounter one, leave the scene immediately.
d. There are areas near Russian borders and military-related facilities, etc., where the entry of foreigners is restricted. Furthermore, since there are no signs, etc. indicating that the area is a restricted area and the signs are only in Russian, there is a possibility that you may enter the area without realizing it. When visiting an unfamiliar place, it is important to check with travel agencies and local officials beforehand to see if the area falls under a restricted area for foreigners. Also, please stay away from areas where entry is restricted.
3 Precautions for your stay in the area
(1) If you are in a Level 4 (evacuation advisory) area, please evacuate immediately. In addition, please do not travel to Level 3 areas (travel suspension advisory). However, in order to secure the livelihood of those already in the area, if you are traveling to or staying in Moscow to carry out a truly unavoidable mission of public interest, please take special precautions and take adequate safety measures while maintaining close contact with the local embassy. Please also be aware that if the domestic situation suddenly changes, your means of leaving Russia may be further restricted.
Large-scale rallies and demonstrations are sometimes held, and the security authorities are particularly strict in their control of participants in unauthorized rallies, etc. There have been cases of people being arrested and detained simply for staying near rally sites. In order to avoid unnecessary trouble, please refrain from approaching these rallies and demonstrations out of curiosity, and if you do encounter one, please leave the scene immediately.
To avoid being involved in terrorist incidents or unforeseen circumstances, please keep up-to-date with the latest relevant information and stay as far away as possible from government facilities (especially the military and security agencies) that may be the target of terrorist attacks. Please be vigilant in areas where large numbers of people gather, pay attention to your surroundings, and avoid walking alone at night as much as possible to ensure your safety. In addition, please review your response measures in the event of a terrorist incident, and be sure to take appropriate safety measures according to the situation. For more detailed information on terrorism and kidnapping, please see 《Terrorism and Kidnapping Situation
In Russia, even minor violations of administrative law may result in deportation if you receive multiple punishments. In such cases, you may not be allowed to re-enter Russia for several years after the disposition. It goes without saying that you must comply with Russian domestic laws and regulations, but please be very careful in your daily activities.
4 Danger warnings have been issued separately for Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Belarus, and China, all of which are adjacent to Russia. Please be aware of this information as well.
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