First batch of lorries sent by rail from Ukraine to Poland, bypassing border blockade

Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) has sent the first batch of lorries to Poland to bypass the blocked road checkpoints.

Source: European Pravda, citing Ukrzaliznytsia

Details: Ukrzaliznytsia says the preparations took two weeks.

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The piggyback train which travelled to Poland on the Sknyliv (Ukraine) – Sławków (Poland) route consisted of 23 platform cars, onto which 13 tractor units with semi-trailers were loaded. The truck drivers were taken across the border by bus.

Quote from Ukrzaliznytsia: “Customs and border clearance of the freight takes place at the Izov-Hrubieszow railway border crossing. Currently, there are still formal issues regarding the rapid crossing of the Polish border, and experts are already working on speeding up the process. Similar trips will be organised in the return direction as well.”

From Sławków station, the lorries proceed to their onward destination by road.

Ukrzaliznytsia added that it is now possible to arrange the transportation of lorries from Ukraine to Poland through its Lisky Transport Service Centre branch, and in the reverse direction through UZ Cargo Poland.

Background:

• The blockade of the border with Ukraine by a group of Polish hauliers has been going on for over a month. Slovak truck drivers have recently joined it.
• Charities and non-governmental organisations that supply military aid to the Armed Forces of Ukraine have faced weeks of delays in critical deliveries of drones, electronics and pickup trucks due to the blockade.
• In recent weeks, the governments of Ukraine and Poland have been engaged in dialogue to find compromise solutions to unblock the border. Ukraine’s Ministry of Infrastructure said they expect Poland to resume negotiations with the blockaders after empty trucks began to pass through the Uhryniv-Dołhobyczów checkpoint.
• The European Commission has said that it is opposed to the reintroduction of the permits system for Ukrainian hauliers, as the Polish and Slovakian border protesters are demanding.

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