St. Petersburg has become a popular place for shakedowns of tourists by Militia officers or others posing as officers. The Militia have the authority to check foreignersÂ’ documents at any time to confirm that they are in the country legally, so foreigners must carry passports at all times. In the past year there has been an increase in the incidence of off-duty Militia officers or criminals in uniforms conducting document checks for the sole purpose of collecting bribes or robbery. Militia officers tend to congregate near Western-style nightclubs and routinely stop foreigners when they leave. The best-known places for Militia shakedowns are along Canal Griboyedova, from Nevsky Prospect to the Church on the Spilled Blood and Konyushenaya Square; along Nevsky Prospect generally from the Admiralty to Liteyny Prospect; Ulitsa Galernaya, between Zamyatin Pereulok and Prospect Dekabristov; Vostaniya Square in the vicinity of the Moskovskiy train station and Ulitsa Goncharnaya; Palace Square and the park next to the Hermitage during the summer months; city parks at night, especially after midnight.
