Roman Diordiyach, charity worker:
“We have to stop the war in the Donbas first to resume normal trade. Both sides have to pull their troops back from the front line and do whatever it takes to ensure there is a stable peace. That is what we must do instead of those blockades. Peace is the only possible option.”
Igor Zhezheyan, university graduate:
“On the one hand, the blockade of the occupied Donbass is logical. One just can’t trade and wage war with someone at the same time. On the other hand, someone definitely has a vested interest in this blockade, and we can’t trust our own authorities.”
Elizaveta Sydelnykova, student:
“Because of this blockade, enterprises are shutting down and thousands of people could lose their jobs. I think Ukraine must resume trading industrial commodities across the frontline, so the plants can go on working. But nothing more – let the occupant feed and support the people living there.”
Volodymyr Luzhkovsky, pensioner:
“Relations between Ukraine and its occupied zone in the Donbas are so untransparent that it is very complicated to get a clue about what is going on. But one thing is crystal clear for me – all of us living in this country must stop thinking of building walls and cutting our own territories off – otherwise nobody in the Donbas will want to come back to Ukraine after the war.”
Liudmila Kalan, painter:
“Blockades always inhibit economic development, which is vital for us all. The war won’t go on forever, and someday Ukraine will get the Donbas back. If we go on blocking those plants, even more people will lose their jobs, and will blame Ukraine for that. We’re deliberately cutting off our greatest industrial center – this is economic suicide for Ukraine.”
