Past Passport

Past Passport

The Summer I Took the Train to Ukraine Without a Visa

In the late 1990s, information traveled slowly. So did I.

Joseph Pickett's avatar
Joseph Pickett
Jan 27, 2026
∙ Paid

The train creaked to a stop near Kharkov, just before turning south toward Crimea.

Two men in green uniforms slid open the compartment door and held out their hands for our passports.

“Friend,” one sai…

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