On the eve of the professional holiday – Border Guard Day – journalists from "SG" spent a day at the Grigorovshchina checkpoint in the Verkhnedvinsk district
On the eve of the professional holiday – Border Guard Day – journalists from "SG" spent a day at the "Grigorovshchina" border crossing point in the Verkhnedvinsk district to get to know better those who guard peace and tranquility at our borders.
First category controller of the "Grigorovshchina" border control unit of the Polotsk Border Detachment, Senior Warrant Officer Elena Shaitor.
The crossing point is located on the border with Latvia. Trucks and cars lined up several kilometers before our destination. We learned the reason for the queues when we met with the border guards.
— The queue is explained by the position taken by our colleagues on the other side of the border. Border crossing points are closed on their initiative, so the load on those that are still open increases. We, on the other hand, are always ready for dialogue and cooperation. This year, over 150 thousand people and more than 70 thousand vehicles have passed through our crossing point into Belarus, — emphasized the first category controller of the "Grigorovshchina" border control unit of the Polotsk Border Detachment, Senior Warrant Officer Elena Shaitor.ор.
It is no coincidence that they turned specifically to Elena. In 2023, based on the results of operational and service activities, she was recognized as the best controller of the Polotsk Border Guard Detachment. Who, if not her, knows all the intricacies of working at a checkpoint.
— To simplify the description of our work, it consists in allowing individuals to cross the state border with valid documents, — says ElenaElena Shaitor. — And not to let them pass if there are legal grounds for invalidating documents or they do not belong to their presenter. The workday begins early in the morning. We arrive at the checkpoint. At a short meeting, duties are assigned, there is time to prepare for the tasks.
At the checkpoint, everyone acts according to their duties: someone takes on the role of the senior shift of border patrols, and someone checks documents and monitors the regime at the checkpoint.
— What do controllers do? Their task is to not let people who have violated the rules of crossing the state border pass, — Elena emphasized. — First, they check everyone with a metal detector to ensure no weapons or ammunition are brought in, and then they process documents. If everything is fine, then we send the person further.
The checkpoint has everything for the Grigoryovshchina border guards to perform their duties effectively. They constantly undergo tests and improve their skills in personal identification because, according to them, "this is the foundation of everything." Just imagine, all the passports in the world are compiled into one, so to speak, edition. It has nine volumes! Our border guards can distinguish a fake from an original. There is even a special simulator, which all document inspection inspectors use before their shift. Thanks to it, one can identify a person with their photograph in the passport. We couldn't resist and tried it ourselves. Elena advised: "Pay special attention to the person's eyes." A few seconds are given to examine the photo in the passport. Then, images of several similar-looking people appear on the screen, and you need to choose the one whose passport it is. We managed to score six out of ten.
— A good result, but with experience, you will get better and better, — summarized Elena Shaitor.
Every serviceman of the border control unit must know self-defense techniques, be able to handle weapons and maintain them: although there are not many offenders, as Elena said, they do occur. Sometimes they are very dangerous.
— There was one interesting story. A citizen of Latvia committed a crime in his country. He killed a person, — recalled the controller. — Then, while drunk, he tried to break through to Belarus by car. He drove through the barriers at the Latvian checkpoint, entered our territory, but the Belarusian border guardscould not stop him. He had a whole arsenal of weapons in the car: knives, a pistol, and ammunition. As a result, he received a considerable prison sentence.
Any violation of the rules for crossing the state border is punishable. If a person illegally crosses the border on foot for the first time in a year, a fine of up to 100 basic units is imposed. The second time, criminal liability is threatened, as well as when attempting to cross the border, for example, by car. But such cases are rare. More often, the following problems arise, noted Elena Shaitor:
There are many nuances in document checks, but the servicemen at the checkpoint try to perform all tasks thoroughly and quickly.
We are observing the work of controller Sergeant Yan Kuvshinov. To talk to him, we had to wait about 20 minutes until he checked all the passing transport. Service duties come first!
— I am originally from the village of Mykovo, Verkhnedvinsk district. I served my compulsory military service at the Druya border post. There I was a dog handler for a search dog, but I wanted to work with special ones. So I set a goal to transfer to contract service in the Grigorovshchina border control unit. Now I am a controller, and when the courses at the cynological center begin, I will train as a handler for a special dog. Together with my four-legged friend, we will search for explosives.
True, the guy's initial dream was different – to become a sailor. He studied at the Gomel Vocational Lyceum of the River Fleet, completed special courses in St. Petersburg. As a result, Yan changed his mind and changed his profession. He doesn't hide that his father played a role in this:
— Yes, you could say we have a dynasty. My dad served as a border guard at this checkpoint all his life, which played a certain role in my choice of profession. Being a border guard is a worthy
First category controller of the "Grigorovshchina" border control unit of the Polotsk Border Detachment, Senior Warrant Officer Elena Shaitor.
The crossing point is located on the border with Latvia. Trucks and cars lined up several kilometers before our destination. We learned the reason for the queues when we met with the border guards.
— The queue is explained by the position taken by our colleagues on the other side of the border. Border crossing points are closed on their initiative, so the load on those that are still open increases. We, on the other hand, are always ready for dialogue and cooperation. This year, over 150 thousand people and more than 70 thousand vehicles have passed through our crossing point into Belarus, — emphasized the first category controller of the "Grigorovshchina" border control unit of the Polotsk Border Detachment, Senior Warrant Officer Elena Shaitor.ор.
It is no coincidence that they turned specifically to Elena. In 2023, based on the results of operational and service activities, she was recognized as the best controller of the Polotsk Border Guard Detachment. Who, if not her, knows all the intricacies of working at a checkpoint.
— To simplify the description of our work, it consists in allowing individuals to cross the state border with valid documents, — says ElenaElena Shaitor. — And not to let them pass if there are legal grounds for invalidating documents or they do not belong to their presenter. The workday begins early in the morning. We arrive at the checkpoint. At a short meeting, duties are assigned, there is time to prepare for the tasks.
At the checkpoint, everyone acts according to their duties: someone takes on the role of the senior shift of border patrols, and someone checks documents and monitors the regime at the checkpoint.
— What do controllers do? Their task is to not let people who have violated the rules of crossing the state border pass, — Elena emphasized. — First, they check everyone with a metal detector to ensure no weapons or ammunition are brought in, and then they process documents. If everything is fine, then we send the person further.
The checkpoint has everything for the Grigoryovshchina border guards to perform their duties effectively. They constantly undergo tests and improve their skills in personal identification because, according to them, "this is the foundation of everything." Just imagine, all the passports in the world are compiled into one, so to speak, edition. It has nine volumes! Our border guards can distinguish a fake from an original. There is even a special simulator, which all document inspection inspectors use before their shift. Thanks to it, one can identify a person with their photograph in the passport. We couldn't resist and tried it ourselves. Elena advised: "Pay special attention to the person's eyes." A few seconds are given to examine the photo in the passport. Then, images of several similar-looking people appear on the screen, and you need to choose the one whose passport it is. We managed to score six out of ten.
— A good result, but with experience, you will get better and better, — summarized Elena Shaitor.
Every serviceman of the border control unit must know self-defense techniques, be able to handle weapons and maintain them: although there are not many offenders, as Elena said, they do occur. Sometimes they are very dangerous.
— There was one interesting story. A citizen of Latvia committed a crime in his country. He killed a person, — recalled the controller. — Then, while drunk, he tried to break through to Belarus by car. He drove through the barriers at the Latvian checkpoint, entered our territory, but the Belarusian border guardscould not stop him. He had a whole arsenal of weapons in the car: knives, a pistol, and ammunition. As a result, he received a considerable prison sentence.
Any violation of the rules for crossing the state border is punishable. If a person illegally crosses the border on foot for the first time in a year, a fine of up to 100 basic units is imposed. The second time, criminal liability is threatened, as well as when attempting to cross the border, for example, by car. But such cases are rare. More often, the following problems arise, noted Elena Shaitor:
— Sometimes it's impossible to identify a person from a photograph in a passport – we don't let them through.We also won't let a girl through if she got married, changed her surname, but hasn't changed her passport within a month.
There are many nuances in document checks, but the servicemen at the checkpoint try to perform all tasks thoroughly and quickly.
We are observing the work of controller Sergeant Yan Kuvshinov. To talk to him, we had to wait about 20 minutes until he checked all the passing transport. Service duties come first!
— I am originally from the village of Mykovo, Verkhnedvinsk district. I served my compulsory military service at the Druya border post. There I was a dog handler for a search dog, but I wanted to work with special ones. So I set a goal to transfer to contract service in the Grigorovshchina border control unit. Now I am a controller, and when the courses at the cynological center begin, I will train as a handler for a special dog. Together with my four-legged friend, we will search for explosives.
True, the guy's initial dream was different – to become a sailor. He studied at the Gomel Vocational Lyceum of the River Fleet, completed special courses in St. Petersburg. As a result, Yan changed his mind and changed his profession. He doesn't hide that his father played a role in this:
— Yes, you could say we have a dynasty. My dad served as a border guard at this checkpoint all his life, which played a certain role in my choice of profession. Being a border guard is a worthy
ok.