Ukraine preparing to restrict passenger connections with Russia, Omelyan says

Ukraine’s Infrastructure Ministry has drafted measures
to limit passenger connections with Russia and expects the Cabinet will approve
them shortly, minister Volodymyr Omelyan told a television network on Aug. 16.
Omelyan did not specify the list of measures, referring to the need for them to
be approved at the top levels. At the same time, he said Ukraine will continue
to fulfill its transit obligations. The measures are a response to recent
Russian detentions of ships traveling to Ukrainian ports in the Azov Sea, he
said. The same day, Omelyan wrote on his Facebook page, “I have signed today a
historic document. Only bears will go to Moscow now, as in the good old days.”

Recall, last week, Omelyan said his ministry is considering closing passenger railway connections with Russia.
Direct airline connections between Ukraine and Russia were cancelled in October
2015.

Alexander Paraschiy: Most
likely, these restrictions will not be limited to just cancelling direct
passenger trains from Ukraine to Russia, as Omelyan had hinted earlier, but
also bus connections as well. Ukrainians will still be able to travel to
Russia, but at a higher price and using more complicated routes. Russia will
surely respond with countermeasures, thereby hurting trade on both sides of the
border.

Millions of Ukrainians travel to Russia every year to
work or conduct business. We believe these restrictions will be highly
unpopular with the Ukrainian public and fuel support for Russian-oriented
forces during next year’s elections.