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Russian security service accuses Ukraine of restricting passage of goods from Crimea

Two trucks that were bound from Crimea for Ukraine with a load of commercial sodium carbonate have been blocked on a neutral strip between Russia’s Dzhankoi checkpoint and Ukraine’s Chongar checkpoint

SIMFEROPOL, September 22. /TASS/. The Ukrainian side has imposed restrictions on the passage of goods form Crimea to its territory, the Russian Federal Security Service’s (FSB) border department for Crimea told TASS on Tuesday.

Two trucks that were bound from Crimea for Ukraine with a load of commercial sodium carbonate have been blocked on a neutral strip between Russia’s Dzhankoi checkpoint and Ukraine’s Chongar checkpoint. They have been denied entry in Ukraine because of the announced blockade of Crimea.

"The trucks have undergone all the required procedures at the Russian checkpoint and the vehicles could unimpededly leave the Russian territory. However, they were stopped at the Ukrainian border checkpoint. The trucks are not allowed to pass into the Ukrainian territory. The destiny of the trucks and cargo is currently being decided. They are now staying in a neutral area," the border guard department’s press service told TASS.

The trucks’ drivers said that they were not allowed to enter Ukraine’s territory due to the so-called blockade of Crimea announced by Ukrainian activists. The commercial sodium carbonate cargo is being transported to a glass manufacturing facility in a Ukrainian region.

The border guard department said that the Ukrainian side has been allowing mostly empty trucks to pass to Ukraine unimpededly. The car traffic between the two states is currently not restricted.

On Sunday, September 20, supporters of Crimea’s former deputy prime minister, Lenur Islyamov, as well as Ukrainian parliament members and Crimean tatar activists Mustafa Dzhemilev and Refat Chubarov launched what they called as Crimea’s food blockade to upset the free passage of trucks carrying foods to the peninsula. The extremist group Right Sector, outlawed in Russia, has joined in. Authorities in Kiev say they have nothing to do with the action, however, they don’t interfere.

Crimea’s leader Sergey Aksyonov has described Ukraine’s blockade of the peninsula as a cheap comedy. Ukrainian foods account for no more than five percent on the shelves in Crimea’s supermarkets. Ukrainian suppliers have also expressed discontent with the blockade.