According to the second commander of Donbas volunteer battalion, Anatoly Vinogradsky, the  veterans of the volunteer battalions have started setting up check points along the contact line in eastern Ukraine to prevent the “illegal flow of goods” into the separatist-held territories.

“There was an ultimatum demanding the return of the prisoners. The separatist leaders have not responded to it. That is why we have started the blockade of the occupied areas in eastern Ukrain,“ Vinogradsky stated at a press conference.

Vinogradsky noted that the blockade has already begun. According to him, veterans of the volunteer battalions and Ukrainian activists are taking part in it. The organizators of the blockade are accepting any information about the routes used for illegal trafficking.

He pointed out that while the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has stated that there is not trade with the territories that are not under the control of Ukraine, the trafficking routes are still functioning.

“We are not interested in the routes used by the civilians to bring food. We are interested in the smuggling routes. And, secondly, we are interested in the railway passages. At president, according to our information, only at one railway junction, the night trains get assembled and up to five of such trains loaded with coal leave for the separatist-held territories,“ the commander of the Donbas battalion stated

“We are going to set mobile checkpoints, like it was done at the Crimea blockage,“ he added

The Chief of Staff of the blockade, Sergey Akimivich, said that the mobilization center for the blockade has been set in Kyiv.

“We will be seeking a full trade blockade with the DPR (Donetsk People’s Republic) and LPR (Luhansk People’s Republic). At the government level, we need to stop the delivery of water and electricity there,” Akimovich said.

He stated that this blockade will continue tuntil “all our people are freed [by separatists].”

  Ukraine, DPR, LPR

Comments