Situation on Ukraine-Cisdniestria border getting tense

The transport blockade of Cisdniestria caused by Ukraine having imposed new customs regulations on Tyraspol starting from March 3, is going on.

At the moment a great number of vehicles and cargos have accumulated at border crossings between Cisdniestria and Ukraine, while Ukrainian border guards are preventing Cisdniestrian transport from crossing into Ukrainian territory.

16 heavy haulers have accumulated at the Pervomaysk-Kuchurgan crossing point, 11 haulers at the Novy Goyan-Platonovo crossing point (Dubossary Customs). In addition, 24 railway cars got stuck at the Rybnitskaya Customs and 176 railway cars at the Bendery Customs.

At the same time Ukraine is reinforcing border troops at the crossings where pickets and protest actions of Cisdniestrian public organizations are being staged. Additional forces are being moved in to seal off the border.

"We are greatly worried by the imbalance and nervousness prevailing at border crossing points, worsened by the presence of a great number of Ukrainian border guards", said a spokesman of the Russian Security Council, Vladimir Kolesnikov.

"We have the impression that any spark may aggravate the situation resulting in an armed confrontation between the two sides. It must be avoided by all means", he added.