Ukraine suspends cargo traffic to and from Crimean peninsula

The Ukrainian government has suspended the movement of cargo between Crimea and Ukraine, citing an initiative put forward by PM Arseny Yatsenyuk. The suspension will be active until a list of goods allowed to be delivered to the peninsula is compiled.

The decision was preceded by a request from Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Monday which wanted to look into the possibility of a temporary “termination of road and railroad freight transport communication with Crimea in both directions”.

Within a matter of hours, the ban on cargo transport exchange was approved by the Ukrainian cabinet.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk proposed that a list of goods and services which could be supplied to Crimea be worked out.

“So that this list corresponds with Ukrainian interests, first of all I propose to engage the Mejlis [highest executive-representative body] of the Crimean Tatar People to make sure that the decision will take the interests of our fraternal Crimean Tatar people into account,” the Prime Minister said in a statement.