With the Kiev authorities chronically uncaring, the “patriotic forces” in the west of Ukraine have launched an action to block Russian trucks going to Europe.
All Russian trucks reaching the village of Nyzhni Vorota on their way to Slovakia and Hungary are being sent back to Lviv Oblast. The organizers of the action are the Patriots of Ukraine, the Karpatska Sech and the Union of ATO Veterans (participants in Kiev’s punitive operation in Donbass - EADaily).
They believe that while there is a war in Donbass, Ukraine must not provide is territory to Russian cargoes going to Europe. The leader of the All-Ukrainian Svoboda Movement Oleh Tyahnybok has confirmed on Facebook that his men are also involved in the action. He believes that this action should cover all of Ukraine’s borderline regions.
One of the blockaders Taras Deyak has said that three trucks have attempted to break through but were stopped. “The Russian drivers think they may wait until we go away but we will stay here until we win! The locals are giving us tea, coffee and food and we are grateful to them for this,” Deyak said.
Several dozens of trucks have already been sent back.
The flow of Russian trucks going via Ukraine to Slovakia has grown of late as Russia’s Transport Ministry and Poland’s Infrastructure and Construction Ministry have failed to prolong permits for transportation companies for 2016. As a result, from Feb 1 on Russian trucks are unable to enter the Polish territory and vice versa. So, the only way for Russian drivers to Europe now is via Ukraine to Slovakia and Hungary.