DPR announces its own trade blockade with Kyiv
Since the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis, residents of the Donbass have learned to live under the Kyiv instituted blockade, now the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic has announced their own blockade of Kyiv, the head of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Alexander Zakharchenko said.
“We have cut off all contact with Ukraine, with whom we are fighting. Yes, we are selling coal to get money to pay our wages here. But by virtue of this we have learned to live in the blockade, we are announcing our own blockade of Ukraine,” he said at a press conference.
Earlier, Zakharchenko reported that in response to the transport blockade imposed by Ukraine, since March 1, external administration has been introduced on enterprises under Ukrainian jurisdiction on the separatist-held territories.
The head of the DPR announced the transfer of Ukrainian enterprises to external administration.
In late January, former members of the military operation in the Donbas, including deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, blocked freight railway connections with Kyiv from the uncontrolled territory of the Donbas. They said that any trade with the breakaway republics is illegal.