Donetsk, Feb 27 – DAN. Kiev-introduced economic blockade of Donbass has only reinvigorate the Donetsk People's Republic drive towards integration into Russia's political and economic space, said deputy chairperson of DPR People's Council Olga Makeyeva.
"Donbass blockade introduced by Ukraine only encourages our aspiration for integration into Russia's political, economic and cultural space. But in general Kiev authorities have no influence on our young state's external political course. Our region is becoming an integral and permanent part of the Russian World. Ukrainian nationalists just have to come to terms with it," she said.
Makeyeva maintained that DPR citizens chose the course for joining Russia back in 2014, and today's events just prove that was the right choice to make.
"The sooner Ukraine understands it, the more chances they have to save their own country from a complete breakdown."
DPR and LPR heads urged Kiev earlier today to stop transport blockade by March, 1. DPR and LPR shall place under receivership enterprises operating under Ukrainian jurisdiction and shall halt coal exports to Ukraine if Kiev doesn’t lift the transport blockade by the beginning of March, said DPR and LPR heads Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitskiy.
The new round of economic blockade of Donbass started in January 2017. Former participants of the offensive blocked railroad between Gorskoye and Zolotoye (LPR territory). The radicals said the aim was to interrupt trade with LPR. Later they blocked Svetlanovo station in vicinity of Pervomaisk, the railroad tracks in the area of occupied Artyemovsk (DPR) and Yasinovataya-Skotovataya stretch.
Ukrainian Rada extremists supported the “trade blockade”, while radicals said the drive shall be permanent.
On 16 December, Ukraine National Security and Defence Council Secretary Alexander Turchinov called for tougher economic blockade against the Donbass Republics. Turchinov, a key figure behind Donbass bloodbath, believes that the ban on movements of goods and cargoes to LPR and DPR will enable Kiev to faster “liberate” the territories it does not control.
On November 15 2014, Ukrainian President Petr Poroshenko signed the decree halting the payment of pensions and allowances in the conflict zone.*ot