Russia halts movement of Ukraine-registered cargo trucks

In this latest spat, Ukraine accuses Russian Federation of violating the rules and procedures of the World Trade Organization and the bilateral intergovernmental agreement on global road transport. The conflict between Russian-backed rebels and the Ukrainian government continues to harm relations between the neighbouring countries.

Russia has accused Kiev of failing to deal with Ukrainian nationalists who are stopping Russian trucks from travelling through the western and northern regions of Ukraine from the European Union.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk said the transit of Russian trucks through Ukraine has been stopped until Moscow explains the changes concerning the transit of Ukrainian trucks through Russia.

It added that the measure would stay in effect until Ukraine “receives an explanation from Russian Federation”.

It said the first convoy of Ukrainian trucks was formed and set off towards Ukraine as of 22:00 Moscow time on Tuesday.

“This solution allows vehicles that were halted on the territories of both countries to return home before February 25”, – the Russian Transport Ministry said.

And Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev called the situation “disgraceful”. “Additional supervisory powers now would be applied to all kinds of transport coming from the territory of Ukraine”, Medvedev said at a meeting with his deputies.

More than 9,000 people have been killed since the conflict began in April 2014.

Several EU state hit especially hard by Russia’s trade embargo have been hoping to ease some of the bloc’s punitive measures against Moscow when they come up for a review in July.

Exports to the Ukraine, hitherto Russian principal global market for spirits, fell by 90% year on year.