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Russian trucks transit back to Russia through Ukraine fully restored — ministry

Ukraine’s Infrastructure Ministry and Russia’s Transport Ministry have agreed to introduce the "back home" regime on February 16 through February 25

© Anton Vergun/TASS

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First Ukrainian trucks stuck on Russian roads in transit war return home

MOSCOW, February 19. /TASS/. Freight transportation traffic on the border of Russia and Ukraine is fully restored, Deputy Minister of Transport Nikolay Asaul said Friday.

"Transit of Russian transport on the territory of Ukraine has been fully restored, the border is open for the passage of Russian trucks from Europe to Ukraine and then to Russia. Thus, we do not see any problems with the return of the Russian transport from Europe and Ukraine," he said.

Asaul noted that the restrictions from both Russia and Ukraine will apply to the new transportation across the border. However, according to him, this restriction could be lifted on February 20.

On February 11, Ukrainian radicals in the Transcarpathian Region announced an unlimited campaign to block the transit of Russian trucks. Later they were joined by radicals in nine regions: Volyn, Rovno, Lviv, Transcarpathia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zhitomir, Vinnitsa, Sumy and Chernovtsy.

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In response, on February 14, Russia suspended movement of Ukrainian trucks across Russian territory. On February 15, the Ukrainian government officially announced suspension of transit traffic of trucks registered in Ukraine.

From February 16, Russia, fully suspended transit of trucks registered in Ukraine through its territory. "The response measures will be valid until the settlement of the situation linked to the blocking by the Ukrainian side of Russian trucks," the Russian Transport Ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine’s Infrastructure Ministry and Russia’s Transport Ministry have agreed to introduce the "back home" regime on February 16 through February 25.

"That means that, more than 600 Ukrainian vehicles that have been blocked on the territory of the Russian Federation or are heading to Ukraine from Asia, will receive unhindered access to Ukraine during this period. Similarly, about 600 Russian vehicles will be able to return to Russia from the EU countries. The Ukrainian side will ensure the guard of Russian cars to the border with Russia or Belarus."

Earlier Russia’s Transport Ministry said that it had received an official response from Kiev about illegal actions against Russian cargo carriers.

"We have received an official response of the Ukrainian side, showing their intentions and assuring us that official Kiev is finally taking control over the situation," Russia’s Deputy Transport Minister Nikolai Asaul said.

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