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Russia is concerned over Donbass blockade — Kremlin

Peskov described as unprecedented the situation in which any country "firmly and systematically is pushing away its own regions, leaving millions of its citizens without social benefits"

© AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda

MOSCOW, March 17. /TASS/. The Kremlin is concerned about the blockade of Donbass, as this step by Kiev affects implementation of the Minsk agreements, press secretary of the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters on Friday.

"Russia now is extremely concerned about it," he said. "It does not favor formation of the atmosphere for implementation of the Minsk agreements, he added.

The IDs

The recognition of IDs and other personal documents issued by the self-proclaimed Lugansk and Donetsk republics is a temporary measure and by no means a mistake, because in making this decision Moscow was guided by humanitarian considerations, Peskov said on Friday.

"This is not a mistake but a forced measure," Peskov said, when asked if time was ripe for cancelling it in view of its negative effects, such as the blockade of both regions. "Moscow was guided primarily by humanitarian considerations. The subsequent march of events has shown that the decisions made along these lines were correct."

Peskov described as unprecedented the situation in which any country "in this particular case, Ukraine, firmly and systematically is pushing away its own regions, leaving millions of its citizens without social benefits, banking services, medical assistance, and legal and documentary support."

He believes that in this particular case Ukraine itself harms its territorial integrity.

"But that does not mean that these millions of people should be left without any assistance. In this particular case Russia is unable to abandon them without humanitarian support," he concluded.

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