Semen Semenchenko: Veterans want to put an end to the business built on blood, and we support them in this

26.01.2017

In Luhansk region, near the delimitation line a first checkpoint on the railway track has been set up in order to put an end to the trade with the occupied territories. The blockade is being carried out by ATO veterans; most of them are the soldiers of the volunteer battalions “Donbas” and “Aidar”. Samopomich representatives – Semen Semenchenko, Taras Pastukh and Pavlo Kostenko – have arrived in Luhansk region in order to support the veterans.
“We will be blocking the transportation of freight. In Luhansk region there are four main ways through which strategic freight go to Luhansk region, and contraband and pirate goods come from Russia. This is coal, arms and hard drugs. In the following two weeks the ATO veterans plan to block the other three railways to stop trade with the occupied territories. The veterans also plan to stop trafficking of goods to the occupied territories in Donetsk region,” informed MP Semen Semenchenko.
He denied the rumors that allegedly the ATO veterans were going to block the supply of water, electricity and food to civilians. “This is an outright lie, spread by those who make money from war – said the MP. These guys want to live in peace, they want their brethren to go back home, and they want to put an end to the business built on blood. And we, as parliamentarians, are supporting the veterans on the spot.”
The lawmakers have also visited Svitlanove railway station. “This is the last station before the delimitation line, where our border guards check the trains, which run both ways. According to the Security Service of Ukraine, in December 2016, LNR received more than half a billion hryvnias in the form of taxes from the purchase of coal. And if we count all the years of war, it is reported that 40% of the financing of the unrecognized republics is covered by taxes and direct funding from Ukraine. And but for this financing the war would have ended,” stated Semen Semenchenko.
In addition, MP Taras Pastukh, has showed the documents provided by the central control room of Svitlanove station. “These are building materials, wood, steel and coal that are transported. This is according to the documents. What is actually there in the cars cannot be verified. Our border guards don’t have the necessary equipment. During one shift there are eight border guards and 10-12 trains with 40-60 cars each. This means that in one day one border guard has to check 70-90 cars. They all were given only one “special means” – a dog. According to the observations of the border guards, the station is much busier now than it was before the war. Therefore, a rhetorical question arises – whether those who are conducting this kind of business and those who are covering it want the war to end,” said Taras Pastukh.
The deputies also said that “Ukrzaliznytsya”, the Security Service and all law enforcement agencies had been informed about the blocking. “Despite this, in the evening of January 25, there was an attempt to break the blockade by a freight train that intended to smuggle 56 cars to the occupied territory. The train was stopped, an investigation team arrived. We are trying to find out who ordered the train to go through the track blocked by people,” reported Taras Pastukh.