Border guards: over 40,000 Ukrainians cross in from Russia since war-start

Since martial law was introduced, more than 40,000 Ukrainians returned from the Russian side through designated border checkpoints.

That’s according to Andriy Demchenko, the spokesman for the State Border Guard Service, who spoke on the air of the national telethon, Ukrinform reports.

He recalled that all checkpoints on the border with Russia had been shut down by a government decision and no crossing operations have been allowed ever since. At the same time, the Russians still allow Ukrainian citizens to enter Ukraine. Most often, Ukrainians cross the border in the area of ​​Pokrovka in Sumy region.

"Since war-start, in the direction of the Pokrovka checkpoint from the Ukrainian side and from the Russian Kolotilovka, we saw that Russia still allowed citizens of Ukraine to proceed into Ukraine. And such crossings were recorded practically every day,” Demchenko said, adding that there were periods when Russia would stop allowing the Ukrainians out of Russia in the said area.

The spokesman emphasized that Ukrainian border guards are always ready to ensure the return of citizens to Ukraine from the territory of Russia and Belarus.

"Along the entire length of the border with Russia, as well as on the border with Belarus, wherever citizens intend to get into Ukraine, our border guards, of course, are ready to ensure border control routine in order to let them into the territory of Ukraine. Since martial law was introduced, more than 40,000 citizens of Ukraine have returned from Russia, and not only through the checkpoint in Pokrovka, but also in other areas, as well as via the territory of Belarus," said Demchenko.

It should be recalled that earlier Ukrainian border guards said the situation on the border with Belarus remained under control. No additional Belarusian troops were spotted in the areas close to the border.