June 2015 Crossing to Crimea
 

Hello

I recently (20th June) crossed over from what I guess is now mainland Russia at the Kerch-Kavkaz ferry crossing to do a circle around Crimea before re-entering the mainland.
Got my papers checked for 30 seconds by a policeman as every one was and waved on. ( New Zealand Motorcycle and rider ).
That was also the first time any body checked my papers in five weeks in Russia.
As for my first time too Crimea and somebody from the other side of the world everything looked like life goes on normally. No extra police or army too see what so ever.
People happy too see me as in all of Russia.
Guess the Cruise ships are missing and a lot of tourists but otherwise looked life as normal.
Crimea certainly offered the most scenery I have had in five weeks.

Good to know Kiwi.
I was on the Russian side up to Ketch at the start of July 2015. No problems to cross over to Crimea but I was warned if anything in my passport reflected that I had been there I might not get in to Ukraine later. I decided it wasn't worth the risk :(
Shame as it does look amazing, and now you've confirmed it! :)

There is nothing that goes in your passport going to or from Crimea from "mainland" Russia.

It has great riding, friendly people, unusually decent food for that part of the world, and some of the beach towns are quite party central in summer.

I was there in April 2014, less than a month after it "defected" and there were no extra police, or military even then ... just loads of happy locals everywhere flying St George ribbons on about 98% of the cars.