A barbed wire fence was installed by Russian border guards right along the street passing through the village of Melovoe. Work on the installation of the fence began in September 2018 - preparatory work was carried out, holes were dug and poles were installed, on which barbed wire was later stretched. Somewhat oddly, the use of ordinary barbed wire rather than modern razor wire - perhaps due to economic reasons, or it was decided to use a psychological factor - this type of barbed wire fence is more associated with Nazi concentration camps and places of detention under communist regimes than with modern perimeter protection system, especially borders.
Through the villages of Melovoe and Chertkovo, the border passed first between the RSFSR and the Ukrainian SSR, and then between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. But the passage and passage were always free, since the border line passed right through the settlements. In 2003, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ratified an agreement between Russia and Ukraine on delimitation (establishment of borders), according to which the border line was approved by a joint commission. This line not only passes through the village, but also crosses many transport communications. Before the installation of barbed wire, this was not a problem for local residents, but starting from August 2018, movement across the previously conditional border line is impossible. Ironically, the street on which the barbed wire is installed is called Friendship of Peoples.