Ukraine border guards impose additional security restrictions amid fresh Russian aggression
Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service says it has imposed additional security restrictions on Ukrainian border areas after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s move to recognize the so-called “people’s republics” of the Donbas and the deployment of Russian troops in these territories.
Restrictions will apply in areas bordering Russia, Belarus, the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, and those adjacent to the sea coast, the service said on Feb. 23.
The new restrictions include a ban on:
• staying in border areas at night;
• leaving port by any marine craft;
• transport traffic (except for military transport and agricultural machinery) on roads that are not in the register of motor roads and that lead to the state border;
• residency of foreign nationals in the border zone;
• using radio stations;
• flights of light-engine and unmanned aerial vehicles;
• filming or taking photos of border service personnel and facilities;
• movement along the coast of border water reservoirs.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Feb. 21 recognized the independence of thenon-government-controlled parts of Ukraine’s Donbas region, and immediately ordered Russian troops into Ukrainian territory on a self-proclaimed “peacekeeping” mission – representing a Russian withdrawal from the Minsk Agreement peace process, Ukrainian officials say.
The move came after a months-long military build-up of Russian troops on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
Following Russia’s actions, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry sent a request to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to sever diplomatic relations with Russia.
Ukraine and the international community have condemned the Kremlin’s decision, while the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and the European Union announced initial sanctions in response to Russia’s violation of international law.
On Feb. 22, Russia’s Federation Council green lighted the deployment of Russian military forces abroad.
President Zelensky announced that he had signed a decree to call up military reservists during a Feb. 22 address to the nation.
However, the president stated that there was no need for a general mobilization as of yet, but the Ukrainian army would need to be quickly replenished.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
