Ukraine closes border due to ASF
Ukraine has taken an unprecedented step to protect its territory from African Swine Fever (ASF) – the country has completely closed its eastern border to automative transport.
“Ukrainian border guards is closing the border for local traffic at the checkpoints in the east (border with Russia) because of the spread of the African Swine Fever virus in Russia,” said the State Border Service of Ukraine.
“The movement of vehicles at the local checkpoints across the state border of Ukraine and the Russian Federation will be suspended from September 25 until further notice,” the State Border Service of Ukraine added.
Russia has already protested against this. A government statement noted that this step will harm trade relations between the two countries and not only in the field of agriculture.
Also, Belarus imposed a ban on the supply of pork from the Smolensk region of Russia where recent outbreaks of ASF has been reported. “The Department of Veterinary and Food Supervision Ministry of Agriculture of Belarus has taken this step because of the further spread of ASF in Smolensk,” said the press service of the Ministry.
