The program "Vremya" aired a story entitled "The flow of refugees from the Ukrainian side has almost doubled at the Vasilievka checkpoint." It says :
“Vasylivka checkpoint in the Zaporozhye region is actually the only checkpoint that now links Ukraine and the liberated territories. Recently, the flow of refugees from the Ukrainian side has almost doubled.
Huge lines of cars are waiting for their turn. Someone to visit relatives or on business. Many, and this is noticeable by the amount of luggage, travel for a long time. Where it is safer and where they are ready to help. Cars are allowed through after a thorough inspection. First of all, those where there are children and the elderly.
For some reason, the Vremya program does not indicate, compared with what moment, the flow of people wishing to visit the occupied territory has increased so much. And it is completely incomprehensible why this is called a flow of refugees, if the author of the plot himself admits that someone is visiting relatives, and someone is traveling on business. But the assertion of an increase in the flow looks quite plausible, and the reason for this is not difficult to understand from the official Kremlin media. It has nothing to do with the one called the "Time" program.
The story aired on Channel One on September 15. And on September 12, TASS circulated the following message:
“In Zaporozhye, they said that the Vasilyevka checkpoint is open to individuals who want to evacuate. The head of the military-civilian administration of the region, Yevgeny Balitsky, noted that this checkpoint was closed for security reasons.
The checkpoint "Vasilyevka" is still open for individuals wishing to move to the liberated part of the Zaporozhye region. This was stated on Monday by the head of the military-civilian administration of the region, Yevgeny Balitsky, on the air of the Rossiya-24 TV channel.
“The 'Vasilyevka' checkpoint, in principle, was closed for many reasons for citizens passing through the checkpoint. It is still possible for private individuals to travel,” he said.
The head of the region added that this checkpoint was closed due to security issues: terrorist actions have become more frequent in Zaporozhye. According to him, products unsuitable for consumption, which “could cause a number of negative phenomena,” were also brought into the region through the checkpoint.
“Many of the restrictions that were there before have now been lifted, but unfortunately we had to introduce this restriction. And in the future the situation will only get worse, because the situation on the front line, it is, in general, getting worse,” Balitsky added.
That is, the head of the occupying authorities announced that the checkpoint is still open for private individuals, but may soon close. Of course, after that, many of those who were going to the occupied territories – both for permanent residence, and for visiting, and for business, and in order to take their relatives out of there – decided not to postpone the trip. This can hardly be connected with the “willingness” of the occupiers to help local residents.
On September 7, Radio Liberty published the testimony of a journalist who drove through the Russian checkpoint in the opposite direction – from the occupied territory to the free one:
“The only official way from the occupation to freedom is the checkpoint in the village of Vasilyevka, Zaporozhye region. Caravans of cars and buses of those who dared to leave those parts of the Kherson, Donetsk, Lugansk and Zaporozhye regions that the Russian army captured are stretching through the village.
One of those who recently crossed the front line was Kherson journalist Konstantin Ryzhenko. There is no entry for the crossing, he says to Radio Donbass. Realities: you just arrive and get in a live queue.
The number of those who are lucky enough to cross the checkpoint today is impossible to predict. Theoretically, up to a thousand people can pass, but in practice it all depends on the situation and the mood of the Russian military – people may not be allowed through after heavy shelling, Ryzhenko clarifies.
“Theoretically, everyone can leave. Questions may arise for men who look military. Also, suspicion may be caused by those who are relatives of military personnel, ATO/JFO veterans, policemen or security forces in Ukraine. You may be on the 'lists' and you may have additional questions. I saw the lists according to which they compare people, judging by the volume, there are about a hundred names, no more. There is a checkpoint where passports are taken away and photographed. Perhaps people are being checked in some bases, ”says Ryzhenko.
He himself rode the bus and waited "only" for two days – there is a preferential queue for passenger transport, while a "passenger car" can wait a week for its passage. Those awaiting evacuation are fed by local residents – they sell meals for 50 hryvnia per serving, the journalist says. He advises to take at least a mat and a blanket or a sleeping bag, and even a tent is better. It is more convenient and comfortable to sleep in it than in a car or a bus.”
The Vremya program prefers to remain silent about the flow of people traveling in this direction.