Exporting Of Items.

[Soviet]

Now the story is in the IHT.

Tourist in Russia stumbles into a legal predicament - International Herald Tribune

MOSCOW: Two months ago, Roxana Contreras was exploring a provincial Russian town when a street vendor persuaded her to buy some unexceptional Red Army medals and old ruble notes the day before she was to return to her home in St. Louis, she said.

Now she is stuck in Russia, mired in a legal and bureaucratic imbroglio, accused of trying to smuggle cultural treasures out of the country. Pending a court hearing, she has been ordered to remain in Voronezh, about 365 miles south of Moscow, where she had been visiting friends.

While her situation is atypical for Westerners, her difficulty traversing Russia's opaque justice system is not. Contreras, 29, a Chilean citizen who speaks little Russian, has endured uncooperative officials, endless waiting and creeping anxiety in a city unaccustomed to tourists.

Investigators confiscated her souvenirs and appraised them at slightly more than $20. Medals and other Soviet kitsch, much of which is counterfeit, are easily purchased at flea markets and roadside stands throughout the former Soviet Union, though buying and selling them is illegal, said Nadezhda Osennyaya, the press secretary at the Voronezh region customs department.

In fact, Russian law prohibits the removal of anything deemed a cultural treasure, including art and religious objects more than 50 years old, unique musical instruments and fossils, according to Russia's cultural oversight agency. Removing antique medals and awards, like those Contreras bought, also is illegal.

Contreras contends that she was not aware of the law, and her lawyer, officials from the Chilean Embassy in Moscow and Representative Todd Akin, Republican of Missouri, have said her treatment and the possibility of serving time exceed the gravity of the crime she is accused of committing. The maximum sentence is seven years in prison, but such a penalty is seen as unlikely. But Russian officials familiar with the case say Contreras broke the law and must atone for her crime.

"We understand that she didn't know, but that's her problem," Osennyaya said. "We have a saying," she said, "Lack of knowledge does not free one from responsibility."

In a telephone interview, Contreras said she would cooperate with the authorities and pay a fine, but she complained that prosecutors and court officials had not been forthcoming with information. She recently learned the date of her hearing, Aug. 28, through the Western media. "Everything is so strange," she said. "It shouldn't be that bad, but who knows."

Aleksei Andreyeshev, her lawyer, said he was equally puzzled by what he described as court officials' capriciousness. In a telephone interview, he said that prosecutors had been unavailable and that the judge who will decide Contreras's case hung up on him when he asked about the details of the hearing.

"He just threw down the phone and didn't give me any information," Andreyeshev said.

Oksana Romaneko, a spokeswoman for the court in Ramon, where the hearing will take place, would not provide information about the case. In a faxed response to questions, she said, "Any interference in the affairs of the court can be criminally prosecuted."

Contreras, who studies neurodynamics as a doctoral student at the University of Missouri, arrived in Russia on June 10. She said she intended to stay three days in Voronezh, visiting friends she made while studying there briefly five years ago.

After customs officials at the Voronezh airport discovered the prohibited items in her baggage as she tried to leave, she was charged with trying to smuggle contraband and violating Russia's cultural antiquities law, and she was forbidden to leave.

Since then, Contreras has spent each day alone in the apartment she has had to rent, strumming her guitar and nervously awaiting the hearing.

"Of course if I knew, I wouldn't have tried to take these away," she said. "If they sell them in the street, how can it be illegal?"

[matteti]

I will be leaving Ukraine soon and I was wondering if anyone had specific and valid information (not just an educated guess. I've already been caught at the airport and I don't want this to happen again!) about what is forbidden and what is allowed.

I know that the orders and medals we collect (the ones listed on Art's main website) are most or all forbidden to export from Ukraine. But I also know that some lower items like znachki and possibly some badges can be exported.

In details, I am interested to know about:
- jubilee medals (all of them are 1958 or later)
- army badges (classifications, parachutist, etc. from 1950s and more recent)
- civil badges (otlichnik in socialist competition, GTO, tractorist wings, etc... all post-war period)
- Ukraine SSR state award prizes (diplome of honor medal?) and other high Ukraine awards (one is made of sterling silver)

None of the items have serial number.

I have a way to get them to my home, but I would prefer to carry what I can with me as it is less complicated. If you know for sure that some of them can be exported, please indicate which ones.

Also, if you know who to contact (Ukraine border guards?) to get the correct information, I would appreciate to get the info and I will contact them.

Thanks.

[EricFG]

Man, just have someone bake them all into a big fruitcake and mail it outta the country! Why even risk it?

[desantnik]

Originally Posted by matteti

I will be leaving Ukraine soon and I was wondering if anyone had specific and valid information (not just an educated guess. I've already been caught at the airport and I don't want this to happen again!) about what is forbidden and what is allowed.

I know that the orders and medals we collect (the ones listed on Art's main website) are most or all forbidden to export from Ukraine. But I also know that some lower items like znachki and possibly some badges can be exported.

In details, I am interested to know about:
- jubilee medals (all of them are 1958 or later)
- army badges (classifications, parachutist, etc. from 1950s and more recent)
- civil badges (otlichnik in socialist competition, GTO, tractorist wings, etc... all post-war period)
- Ukraine SSR state award prizes (diplome of honor medal?) and other high Ukraine awards (one is made of sterling silver)

None of the items have serial number.

I have a way to get them to my home, but I would prefer to carry what I can with me as it is less complicated. If you know for sure that some of them can be exported, please indicate which ones.

Also, if you know who to contact (Ukraine border guards?) to get the correct information, I would appreciate to get the info and I will contact them.

Thanks.

Welcome to the arbitrary world of the former Soviet Union! You are not allowed to export whatever a border official says you aren't. According to the books it can't be more than 50 years old or made of precious metal (including silver). You may have some problems with the older looking stuff and the silver metal. Although YOU know it was made in 1958, the border official won't, and won't care.

[matteti]

Eric and Paul,
You are right that it's better not to risk. But I visited the customs.gov.ua website and there they say among other we can export znaki and znachki without any problem if made after 1960. They are not clear though about what they consider a znak and what is part of what they consider "national treasure". And even though the custom officials slowly start to be more kind, we never know what to expect.

Eric: You are right about posting, but in Ukraine, the Ukrposhta clerks seems to have very strict directives that they have to see the content of the package before to accept it for shipping. I have had lot of difficulty when I came with pre-packed shipment.

[marcotk]

Dear members,

I am resurrecting this old thread! Anybody knows or have any idea how the controls might be for passing the border between Ukraine and Poland by Train via Lvov? (for a Ukrainian Citizen)?

Also anyone knows where to go in Kiev to find some nice goodies? I remember there were lot of stuffs (1 shop, and several street sellers) in Andreevskij Spusk..

Thank you!
Marco

[Pravda]

I know that some high Soviet orders cannot be shipped from Russia and I would like to know which ones are on the list. Does anyone know the exact details?

Cheers,
Will

[desantnik]

Originally Posted by Pravda

I know that some high Soviet orders cannot be shipped from Russia and I would like to know which ones are on the list. Does anyone know the exact details?

Cheers,
Will

I believe anything older than 1945, as well as any orders and medals are verbotten to export if they weren't awarded to you.

[Nota Bene]

I could be wrong here, but I think all Soviet period State issued awards are verbotten. Some badges are permited, but not O&Ms.

Alexei

[Jeffrey Meffert]

I heard the cut off date is 1969 for both orders and uniforms.
Bottom line: the good stuff is shipped at hazard.