Estonian Border Delays Cause Long Lines at Narva Crossing, Russian Officials Say

A long queue of travelers hoping to enter Russia formed on the Estonian side of the Narva 1 border checkpoint on Sunday, according to Russian customs officials. The delays are being blamed on Estonian authorities, while the Russian side reports no such backups.

Evgeny Skoryukov, head of the Ivangord customs post under the St. Petersburg Customs Service, told reporters that the congestion is due to processing times at Estonia’s border operations. “There is a line of people waiting to enter Russia in front of the Narva 1 checkpoint on the Estonian side today,” he said. “The holdup on the neighboring side is connected to the work of Estonian government agencies.”

Skoryukov emphasized that on the Russian side, the Ivangord checkpoint is running normally with no queues. Based on surveillance camera footage, he estimated that by Sunday evening the line on the Estonian side near the town of Narva stretched to about 200 people, with an expected wait time of up to six hours to enter the checkpoint.

The situation highlights ongoing border tensions between the two countries, though Russian officials maintain that their facilities are operating without issue. Travelers are advised to check for updates before heading to the crossing, as delays could persist.