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Republic's leader: Donbass blockade not to reverse policy towards Ukrainian enterprises

The DPR leader believes the decision to start a transport blockade against Donbass rooted 'in the internal struggle for power in Kiev'

DPR leader Alexander Zakharchenko Alexander Kravchenko/TASS

DPR leader Alexander Zakharchenko

© Alexander Kravchenko/TASS

DONETSK, March 15. /TASS/. The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) will not reverse its policy towards Ukraine-run companies after a transport blockade on Donbass started by Ukraine, DPR leader Alexander Zakharchenko said on Wednesday.

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Kiev suspends all transport links with Donbass

"Since March 1 we have imposed retaliatory measures in response to the blockade imposed by Ukraine. They include not only external administration at those enterprises that had remained under Ukraine’s jurisdiction until then, but we also banned exports of our goods and raw materials into Ukraine," the Donetsk news agency said citing Zakharchenko as saying.

The unrecognized republic "has not abandoned its position and is not going to, until Kiev meets its commitments in line with the Minsk peace agreements, first of all their political part," he said.

The DPR leader believes that Wednesday’s decision of Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko and Security Council to start a transport blockade against the Donbass areas, not controlled by Kiev, rooted "in the internal struggle for power in Kiev," which Poroshenko seems to be losing.

"It has already nothing to do with us," Zakharchenko said in conclusion.

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