Russian Frontier Forces and North-West border district mark 85th anniversary

On Wednesday, officers of the North-West regional Administration (NWRA) of the Federal Frontier Service mark their professional holiday. On May 28th, Russian frontier forces and the North-West border district, decorated with the Order of the Red Banner, mark their 85th anniversary.

The NWRA press service told RIA Novosti that the history of the border district dates back to May 28th, 1918 when Vladimir Lenin signed a decree on establishing the border guard of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR). The new structure was to protect the RSFSR border interests, and within the limits of the border line, to defend people and the citizens' property, to prevent a secret transportation of cargoes and a secret crossing by people of land and marine borders of the republic, to prevent the plunder of foods in our border and territorial waters and protect border settlements against bandits' attacks.

At the present moment, the border-guards of the North-West protect the Russian state frontier with Finland, Estonia and Latvia.

In 2003, the NWRA border-guards detained 90 trespassers, confiscated more than 10 kg of narcotic substances, and detained smuggled cargoes to the tune of more than 54 million roubles ($1 equals approximately 30 roubles).