Churlish Russian border guards have been given strict new orders - smile and be polite to visitors entering the country.

In an effort to put an end to the intimidating scowls and steely glares often suffered by travellers, guards checking passports are now under orders to be nice.

"As individuals and vehicles cross the state border, special attention will be paid to treating passengers very politely and to preventing callous and rude behaviour," spokesman Vadim Shibayev told Interfax news agency.

The orders were issued by Colonel General Vladimir Pronichev, head of the border guard service, after "recent complaints about the tactless treatment of people by border guards crossing the Russian state frontier".

"Some people have objected that our border guards are not very smiley," Mr Shibayev said. "But now we hope that they will be more friendly."

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but smileing is just not russian...