Interfax: Kyiv stepping up DPR economic blockade – Pushilin

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

ROSTOV-ON-DON. Feb 26 (Interfax) – The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) has accused Kyiv of increasing the economic blockade on the region in defiance of the latest peace accords.

“In defiance of the Minsk agreements, Ukraine is intensifying the economic blockade on the DPR. Humanitarian aid is the only opportunity for people to get food today,” DPR envoy Denis Pushilin told reporters.

He also accused Kyiv of obstructing the supply of medicine to Donbas.

“Ukraine did everything possible to isolate the DPR from suppliers of medicine with normal prices. Medicine is sold in the DPR today at a price that is much higher than that in Ukraine,” Pushilin said.

However, the self-proclaimed republic does not want to receive humanitarian aid indefinitely, he said.

“The situation is tense in the DPR today, but we do not intend to remain welfare recipients. Enterprises located in our territory have potential. A mechanism of how we will emerge from this dire economic situation has already been announced. But we are not interested in smuggling,” Pushilin said.

He called on Russian businesses to promote cooperation with industrial enterprises of the DPR.

“It is impractical for Russia to build new plants today, but it can cooperate with our enterprises,” Pushilin said.

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