NEWSWATCH AFP: Ukraine bid to shut out Russia with border ‘wall’ falters.
AFP covers Ukraine’s unfolding efforts to fortify its border with Russia with defensive structures.
… the ambitious project to seal up Ukraine’s porous 2,000-kilometre (1,200-mile) frontier with its ex-Soviet neighbour was announced in March 2014 after Moscow seized … Crimea ….
… over a year later, only a small fraction of the $250-million (225-million-euro) project that Kiev hopes could help withstand a Russian invasion has been built.
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… the ‘wall’ is not intended to be a monolithic concrete barrier but … a highly sophisticated system, combining defence measures with modern electronic surveillance …. * * * The project will include ‘… combat systems … to destroy the enemy’s military vehicles and manpower’ ….
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‘It is necessary to keep building the hi-tech border to prevent terrorists, arms and drugs coming in from the Russian side,’ Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told border service officials ….
click here for AFP: Ukraine bid to shut out Russia with border ‘wall’ falters