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Ukraine and Russia agree on "back home" regime for cars, trucks on February 16-25

More than 600 Ukrainian vehicles that have been blocked on the territory of the Russian Federation or are heading to Ukraine from Asia will receive unhindered access to Ukraine during this period

© Anton Vergun/TASS

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Russia-Ukraine truck transit war hits Europe, too

KIEV, February 16. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Infrastructure Ministry and Russia’s Transport Ministry have agreed to introduce the "back home" regime on February 16 through February 25, the Ukrainian ministry reported.

"That means that more than 600 Ukrainian vehicles that have been blocked on the territory of the Russian Federation or are heading to Ukraine from Asia, will receive unhindered access to Ukraine during this period. Similarly, about 600 Russian vehicles will be able to return to Russia from the EU countries. The Ukrainian side will ensure the guard of Russian cars to the border with Russia or Belarus."

Earlier Russia’s Transport Ministry said that it had received an official response from Kiev about illegal actions against Russian cargo carriers.

"We have received an official response of the Ukrainian side, showing their intentions and assuring us that official Kiev is finally taking control over the situation," - Russia’s Deputy Transport Minister Nikolai Asaul said.

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On February 11, Ukrainian radicals in the Transcarpathian Region announced an unlimited campaign to block the transit of Russian trucks. Later they were joined by radicals in nine regions: Volyn, Rovno, Lvov, Transcarpathia, Ivano-Frankovsk, Zhitomir, Vinnitsa, Sumy and Chernovtsy.

In response, on February 14, Russia suspended movement of Ukrainian trucks across Russian territory. On February 15, the Ukrainian government officially announced suspension of transit traffic of trucks registered in Ukraine.

From February 16, Russia, fully suspended transit of trucks registered in Ukraine through its territory. "The response measures will be valid until the settlement of the situation linked to the blocking by the Ukrainian side of Russian trucks," the Russian Transport Ministry said in a statement.

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