ROSTOV-ON-DON, July 8 (RIA Novosti) — Shelling at the Ukrainian Dolzhansky border crossing forced the staff of the adjacent Novoshakhtinsk checkpoint in Russia’s southern region of Rostov to evacuate again Tuesday at dawn, Russia’s Southern Customs Administration said.
“Novoshakhtinsk checkpoint officials were evacuated at 5:30 a.m. Moscow time [01:30 GMT] on Tuesday to a safe distance from the checkpoint," the statement said.
Russian customs officials returned to the site at 7:00 a.m. Moscow time (03:00 GMT).
Gunfire also forced officials at the same border crossing to evacuate around the same time the previous day and on July 3, when shelling of the Dolzhansky border crossing resulted in ammunition exploding at Novoshakhtinsk, damaging a bus station and one of the customs terminals.
The Kuibyshevo border crossing also remains closed due to the halt of operations at Ukraine’s adjoining Marinivka checkpoint. Kuibyshevo’s employees are working locally and are ready to let individuals and transport cross the border.
The fighting between the Ukrainian Army and independence supporters in the southeast of the country has intensified after Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced his decision not to extend the ceasefire on July 1.
Russia has repeatedly condemned Kiev’s actions and urged for a peaceful dialogue with representatives of Ukraine’s southeastern regions.
