Activists set conditions for ending rail blockade of Donbas

The nationalist activists, who are blocking the railway line to the eastern region of Donbas, Ukraine, have set the conditions on Tuesday for ending the blockade.

The protesters are ready to unlock movement of trains after Ukraine passes a law prohibiting trade with independence-seeking insurgents, while rebels release Ukrainian hostages, the Command unit of the blockade said in a statement on Facebook.

Later in the day, the Ukrainian government spokesman Dmytro Stoliarchuk said Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman held talks with the activists, urging them to enter a dialogue with the cabinet and the parliament over the steps for ending the blockade.

The rebel representatives have not commented on the proposition of the protesters.

On late January, a group of activists, including Ukrainian lawmakers and members of volunteer military battalions, 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.

The blockade has resulted in the shortage of anthracite coal in Ukraine, which is needed for running thermal power stations, and caused energy crisis in the country. Endit