Lugansk, Feb 17 – DAN. DPR Head Alexander Zakharchenko announced plans to simplify contact line crossing procedure for residents of Kiev-controlled areas.

“There are problems at checkpoints, but we didn’t create them. It is difficult to ensure safe contact line crossing in wartime but our citizens’ safety has priority. We can make checkpoint crossing as easy as possible though,” Zakharchenko said at a joint news briefing with LPR Head in Lugansk on Friday.

He did not provide further details noting that the project was in the works.

There are currently four checkpoints in operation for pedestrian and motor traffic between Ukraine and the Donetsk People’s Republic: Elenovka-Novotroitsk (southwest of Donetsk, southern direction), Mayorsk-Mayorskoye (outside Gorlovka, northern direction), Oktaybr-Gnutovo (DPR south, southern direction) and Aleksandrovka-Maryinka (west of Donetsk, western direction). In winter 2015, Kiev tightened contact line crossing rules by introducing special permits for incoming/outgoing residents. *jk