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Kiev to open 1st checkpoint on disengagement line in Luhansk region October 27

The checkpoint was earlier planned for opening on October 10 but this measure was delayed so that the process does not affect security during the elections
Ukrainian army checkpoint (archive) AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Ukrainian army checkpoint (archive)
© AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda

KIEV, October 22. /TASS/. The first civilian checkpoint on the disengagement line in the Luhansk region is planned to open on October 27, head of the Luhansk military and civilian administration Georgy Tuka said on Thursday.

"The opening of the checkpoint in the settlement of Luhanskaya is planned for October 27. All the services have been prepared for this," he said.

The checkpoint was earlier planned for opening on October 10 but this measure was delayed so that the process does not affect security during the elections.

The Ukrainian authorities have approved establishing two additional Luhanskaya-Severodonetsk and Luhanskaya-Belokurakino checkpoints, he added.

"The rules of crossing [the checkpoint] still exist. Before trying to cross a checkpoint, you need to show a pass," Tuka said.

The opening of the civilian checkpoint in the Luhansk region earlier planned for October 10 was suspended for an indefinite time. Tuka said then this could be explained by the unstable situation in the region.

Compared to the neighboring Donetsk Region, there is no checkpoint in the Luhansk Region for crossing the disengagement line. The civilian checkpoint planned for opening will be located on the bridge across the Seversky Donetsk River in the settlement of Luhanskaya while civilians will be able to cross the checkpoint using electronic passes.

Representatives of the special monitoring mission set up by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) earlier visited the settlement of Luhanskaya, through which civilians will be able to cross the disengagement line.

As observers have said, the Ukrainian troops have erected metal fencing at their checkpoint near the bridge to divide the road into two lanes for movement in both directions and cleared mines in the adjacent area.