Changes

All the republic border crossings along the federal highway are militarised and most of the cars have to stop for a check. Only driver is asked for documents and normally there will be no questions asked for a passenger (unless you obviously look as a foreigner or an outsider). Additionally to border crossings there are many DPS checpoints (police). All the trucks need to give bribes on each checkpoint (be it border or DPS) unless they drive empty. Being in a truck is the least problematic, no one asks questions to truck drivers because they give bribes anyway. Drivers will not ask you to contribute to bribes since the bribe amount is clearly known upfront and they have it covered in their budgets.

== Karachay–Cherkess Republic ==

It is illegal for foreigners to travel off the federal road and the road to South Ossetia without a SPECIAL permit (it is not the border area permit). You can arrange it but it takes quite some time to get it and I heard of no person to have gotten it. Thus, hitchhiking off the federal road is very risky as being spotted by police can make you being deported from Russia (check LonelyPlanet forum to learn more about such cases). I travelled with my friend in a private car off the federal road around the republic since there are no checkpoints so we bore little risk of being captured. However, admittedly going to the dead city of Dargavs is much more risky and we did not do it (a possible checkpoint).

== Republic of Ingushetia and Chechen Republic ==