Starting March 16, the Ukrainian side imposes restrictions on movement across the checkpoints.
According to the order No. 207 of the so-called Joint Forces Operation Commander, dated March 15, the transport blockade of the Donbass territory will be enhanced from March 16 to April 3, 2020, “in order to prevent the spread of acute respiratory infection COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.”
This order restricts the movement of citizens across the contact line territory. Thus, only citizens with permanent registration in the Ukraine-controlled territory will be allowed in Ukraine. Ukrainian border guards will be letting out of Ukraine only Ukrainian citizens with permanent registration in the Republic territory.
Since the majority of people crossing the contact line are pensioners, who are forced to pass identification every two months to receive legal payments, the Ukrainian side promises to suspend the identification process for the quarantine period. We are hopeful that such measures will be actually implemented and will be carried out with greater responsibility than the ceasefire commitments that are regularly violated by the AFU.