Movement restrictions in eastern Ukraine increase hardships, UN refugee agency says

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) expressed its concern that restrictions on the movement of people in eastern Ukraine have led to increased hardships and limited the access of thousands of people to deathcare and social payments, a UN spokesman told reporters here Friday.

The UN agency called on authorities to ease the plight of 26,000 people crossing the dividing line between government-controlled and non-government-controlled areas in eastern Ukraine, UN spokesman Stephan said at a daily news briefing here.

"The agency said that these people face exhausting procedures, including having to wait long hours in line to cross to see their relatives, purchase goods and medicines or resolve documentation issues in order to get their pensions and benefits," he said.

The conflicting sides in eastern Ukraine reported more combat casualties early this month among their soldiers despite a ceasefire that has been in place since Sept. 1.

The conflict that erupted in mid-April 2014 killed more than 9,500 people and injured some 22,000 others. Endit