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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Fighting resumes on Ukrainian territory near Russian checkpoint

The customs personnel were evacuated from the Matveyev Kurgan checkpoint located on the border with Ukraine

© ITAR-TASS/Aleksandr Riumin

ROSTOV-ON-DON, August 24 /ITAR-TASS/. Customs officers were evacuated from a Russian checkpoint in the Rostov Region in south Russia after fighting resumed on the Ukrainian territory, spokesman for Russia’s Southern Customs Department Rayan Farukshin said on Sunday.

The customs personnel were evacuated from the Matveyev Kurgan checkpoint located on the border with Ukraine, the spokesman said.

“The customs personnel were evacuated to a safe place at 11:30 Moscow time [07:30 GMT] on Sunday due to a gunfight that had started in Ukraine. There were no persons crossing the border at the moment,” the spokesman said.

The Russian personnel were not hurt and no damage was caused to the checkpoint, according to preliminary information.

The Russian customs officers were evacuated twice from the Matveyev Kurgan checkpoint on Saturday due to gunfire in the vicinity of the Uspenka checkpoint on the Ukrainian territory.

Pro-Kiev troops and local militias in the eastern Ukrainian Donetsk and Luhansk regions are involved in fierce clashes as the Ukrainian armed forces are conducting a military operation to regain control over the breakaway regions, which on May 11 proclaimed their independence at local referendums.

During the military operation, Kiev has used armored vehicles, heavy artillery and attack aviation.

Many buildings have been destroyed and tens of thousands of people have had to flee Ukraine’s embattled east.

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