Ukraine's minister for temporarily occupied territories and internally displaced people, Vadym Chernysh, has called for the resumption of train services with militant-controlled areas in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts.
“There is no uniform political position on this issue. I think we do need to maintain contact with people in the uncontrolled territory because they are our citizens. They should be able to move around Ukraine and use their bank cards,” the minister said in an interview with the Focus weekly when asked whether transport services, by rail in particular, would resume with the militant-held territory of Donbas.
On this issue, security is a key element which should, nonetheless, also take account of the need to integrate the people living in the breakaway areas, Chernysh said.
“Options as to how to resume passenger train services are under consideration. Because it is not just motor vehicle checkpoints that we have but also railway ones … I see no big difference between someone crossing the dividing line by car and someone going by train. I hope a security formula for resuming railway services will be found,” Chernysh said.
