Donetsk, Feb 27 –  DAN. DPR industrial capacity makes it possible for the Republic to survive in the circumstances of Kiev-imposed economic blockade, while Ukraine shall soon turn into a "banana republic", said the head of administration of Petrovskiy district of Donetsk Maxim Zhukovskiy.

"The latest actions of the so-called activists who live on the railroad tracks prove that the aim of current fascist leaders is to burn out our region. The successors of Bandera don't understand that Donbass can withstand the blockade thanks to its industrial capacity, but Ukraine, which lost even the status of agricultural country, will soon join the ranks of "banana republics", Zhukovskiy said.

He noted that Ukraine is no longer interesting or profitable for DPR both for moral and economic reasons. Zhukovskiy maintained that Republic had made the right choice to integrate with Russian space two years ago.

"The understanding is that Russia percieves Donbass as a serious strategic partner. Russia is tomorrow, Ukraine is the past."

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