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Ukraine’s GDP losses from blockade of Donbass reach 1.5%

By the way GDP growth in the first quarter of the year was some 2.3%, said a deputy minister for the affairs of non-controlled territories Yuri Grymchak

KIEV, August 10. /TASS/. Ukraine’s losses from transport blockade of Donbass has amounted to about 1.5% of GDP, Yuri Grymchak, a deputy minister for the affairs of non-controlled territories, said in an interview with Ukraine’s Fifth TV Channel.

"GDP growth in the first quarter of the year was some 2.3% whereas we planned up to four percent. So, we lost some 1.5% because of the blockade," he said.

In June, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Vladimir Groisman put the blockade-induced losses at one percent of GDP.

Radicals from the so-called Ukrainian voluntary battalions supported by a number of lawmaker blocked traffic of coal-loaded trains from Donbass territories not controlled by Kiev on January 25. First, they explained the move by the necessity to stop contraband coming to Ukraine along with coal. Later on, they demanded all trade relations with the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) be severed.

The blockade drove a number of Donbass companies to a halt, some are on the brink of closure.

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