Ukrainian PM urges activists to stop rail blockade of Donbas

Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman on Tuesday has urged the activists to release the railway line to the eastern region of Donbas, which was blocked in a move to stop the trade between Kiev and pro-independence insurgents.

"This is unacceptable. It is necessary to differentiate the fight against illegal trade and the fight against the Ukrainian people," Groysman told the cabinet meeting.

The blockade of the railway line has already led to the anthracite coal shortages in Ukraine, Groysman said, adding that the further freeze of coal supplies may cause an energy crisis in the East European country.

Besides, the blockade will affect the energy-intensive metallurgical sector, which generates more than 20 percent of the country's exports revenues and provides about 300,000 jobs for Ukrainians, the Premier stressed.

On late January, a group of nationalist activists has blocked the movements of trains, transporting coal and other raw products from the rebel-held area to the government-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine.

The protesters claimed that the trade between Kiev and insurgents is illegal at the time, when the two sides are involved in the military conflict in eastern regions.

After the confrontation started in April 2014, Kiev has banned trade with the rebel-controlled areas in Donbas, except for goods that are labeled as strategic. Endit