Donetsk, Feb 3 - DAN. The State Border Service of Ukraine has received orders on restrictions for men to leave the country starting February 20, Donetsk People’s Republic People’s Militia deputy commander Eduard Basurin said on Thursday.

“According to our intelligence agents, Head of Ukraine’s State Border Service Sergey Deineko issued orders on February 2 to place restrictions on travelling outside the country for men aged 18 to 45 who are liable for military service,” Basurin said.

The Border Service was recommended to offer the following reasons for the travel ban: lack of visa information in the database, alleged administrative offenses, non-payment of child maintenance, unsettled property disputes, etc., he added. Meanwhile, the draft boards across Ukraine have been updating the list of citizens liable for mobilisation.

On February 1, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed a decree increasing the armed forces by 100,000 and establishing 20 more brigades.

In the past few months, Kiev and the West have been making statements alleging the threat of Russian invasion. This pretext was used to mass considerable forces next to the contact line in Donbass. Earlier, the DPR reported the massing of some 120,000 Ukrainian servicemen in the region. The enemy group had been reinforced with radicals, multiple launch rocket systems and NATO weapons. Drills by chemical warfare troops were reported as well. *jk