"If we're at war, there is no need to go there": minister on railway communication with Russia

August 17, 2018 (UNIAN) Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan has explained the move proposing to cancel railway communication with the Russian Federation, in particular passenger services. He told TV Channel 5 that any normal cooperation with the Russian Federation is off the agenda at the time of war "Whether people like it or not, Ukraine's actions must be tough and adequate. One of the elements that we propose for government approval is to cancel passenger rail transportation [to and from Russia]. I believe we will protect Ukrainians in this way, those who continue traveling to the Russian Federation at their own risk, from being abducted or getting into the clutches of the FSB or other law enforcement agencies in Russia.

Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan

We see that such cases have become frequent," the minister told Ukrainian TV Channel 5. "Secondly, and this is key: if we're at war, there is no need to go there," he stressed. In addition, Omelyan said: "There is no Russian-Ukrainian friendship and has never been. There was either permanent occupation or just mass murders." As UNIAN reported earlier, Omelyan announced new restrictions on railway communication with Russia. "Today I signed a historic document. Only bears will go to Moscow, as in the good old days," the minister wrote on Facebook.