Occupiers have effectively closed the "land corridor" to Crimea and key highways in the Luhansk region - Andriushchenko

The occupation authorities have effectively closed the "land corridor" to Crimea and key highways in the Luhansk region, banning passenger transport on several strategic routes. Specifically, this concerns the R-280 "Novorossiya" and R-150 highways. This was reported by Petro Andriushchenko, head of the Center for the Study of Occupation, on Saturday via social media, UNN reports.

Occupiers effectively closed the "land corridor" to Crimea and key highways in the Luhansk region

Details

"Starting from 4:00 AM, the occupation authorities banned any passenger transport on a number of strategic routes. The restrictions apply to both regular bus services and private transportation," Andriushchenko reported.

According to him, this concerns two main transport arteries of the occupied territories:

• R-280 "Novorossiya" (Rostov-on-Don - Mariupol - Melitopol - Simferopol), which the Russians call their "land corridor" to Crimea;
• R-150 (Belgorod - Starobilsk - Luhansk - Donetsk - Mariupol), connecting Russia with the occupied areas of eastern Ukraine.

"The official explanation is traditional—'concern for civilian safety.' But the real reason looks much more prosaic: Ukrainian drones are increasingly active against the enemy's military logistics deep in the rear," Andriushchenko added.

He noted that the Russians are trying to hide the consequences of Ukrainian strikes.

"Bus passengers are hundreds of witnesses who can photograph destroyed equipment, burning warehouses, and columns that have come under attack. Secondly, the occupiers are clearing the roads for military transport. Due to regular strikes on fuel and ammunition trucks, Russian logistics are operating with great difficulty, so civilian transport is simply being removed from the routes. Thirdly, the very closure of strategic highways indicates serious security problems in the rear. If a state is forced to restrict movement on its own key highways, it means it cannot guarantee control over the situation," Andriushchenko notes.

According to him, the consequences for residents of the occupied territories will be significant. It will become more difficult for many to leave, visit relatives, or use routes through Russian territory, which often remained the only possibility for movement, he pointed out.

"In effect, the occupation authorities are increasingly turning the seized territories into a closed military zone, where the interests of the army definitively prevail over the needs of the civilian population. And what is telling: just a few years ago, Russian propaganda called these very roads a symbol of 'reliable communication' and 'integration of new regions'," Andriushchenko summarized.

Reminder

The Russian command introduced new rules for transporting military cargo on the R-280 "Novorossiya" highway following significant losses from Ukrainian drone strikes.