Kiev cuts off mobile connection with DPR and LPR, republics to establish their own network

Kyevstar Company press office disseminated a statement yesterday, saying it cut off the mobile connection for the territory of the Donetsk and Lugansk republics that are not controlled by the Kiev authorities. In response, the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) have announced that a new operator will be established.

DPR Minister of Communications Viktor Yatsenko briefed at the Donetsk News Agency press center today, on February 5: “The Ministry of Communications is launching a full-scale work to create its own mobile operator in the territory of the DPR,” Yatsenko said. “It will be a state operator. First and foremost, it will be operating in the territory of the republic and, maybe, on the territory of the friendly LPR.”

“The company will decide whether to extend the cut off mode or restore the communication depending on the technical assessment of the situation,” Kyevstar said in the statement.

In late January, Head of the DPR Alexander Zakharchenko said an independent banking system was established in the proclaimed republic allowing to make non-cash payments. “Enterprises inside the DPR already make non-cash settlements. Our bankers have managed to create and fine-tune the banking system, with our programmers developing a relevant program for non-cash operations,” Zakharchenko said.

According to him, starting from February, DPR “will have its own ATMs” and all the enterprises and organizations of the republic “will be able to transfer salaries and pensions to card accounts.”