GORKI, September 21. /TASS/. No considerable worsening of the food situation in Crimea is expected in connection with blocking of the truck deliveries from the Ukrainian territory to the peninsula, as the authorities had prepared for this in advance, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak told reporters on Monday.
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"The blockade that has existed for a day, has not considerably worsened the situation because the initiators [of that action], activists announced it in advance, three weeks ago. We have made the corresponding preparations and Russia’s regions that have been providing patronage assistance to the Republic of Crimea starting form last April, have ensured food supplies to the corresponding retail networks," Kozak said, adding that the situation was not expected to worsen.
The Russian deputy premier said that "no fuss, price hikes are expected in this connection at present." "No, nothing of the kind is expected," the official told TASS, responding to a question if the situation might deteriorate in the future. "This work was organised in advance," he said.
On Sunday, September 20, a group of protesters under Ukrainian parliament member Mustafa Dzhemilev, leader of the Crimean Tatars in Ukraine Refat Chubarov and the Right Sector group launched what they called food blockade of Crimea restricting the traffic of trucks carrying foods to Crimea through border checkpoints. As a result, more than 800 trucks have gathered at border checkpoints on the Ukrainian side waiting for passage.