Ukraine partially closes border with Russia

Ukraine Friday temporarily closed 16 of its 65 major border crossings with Russia, attributing the measure to security concerns.

The checkpoints were closed "in order to ensure public safety", the Ukrainian cabinet said in a statement posted on its website.

It was unclear from the statement which checkpoints were closed as the government's press service did not specify the regions where operations on the border crossings were halted.

The statement added that the work on a "Wall" project that envisaged the construction of an "actual state border with Russia" was under way, Xinhua reported.

The Ukrainian government has allocated $7.7 million for the project, the first stage of which is expected to be completed by Sep 30, it said.

Ukraine started installing fortifications and assembling engineering barriers along the border line with Russia Sep 3.

The "Wall" project, which envisages the construction of a 2,000-km "non-explosive barrier" on the Ukrainian border with Russia, was proposed by the Ukrainian government in order to "cut off Russian support for insurgents in eastern regions".

Kiev has long accused Moscow of supporting independence-seeking insurgents in eastern Ukraine, but Moscow has consistently rejected such accusations.

Ukraine-Russia border 'wall' may be completed Sep 30

According to ITAR-TASS, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko had Wednesday signed a decree on "urgent measures" to protect Ukraine and enhance its defensive capacity.

Poroshenko instructed the government to consider temporarily closing checkpoints on Ukraine's state border with Russia to road and maritime traffic.

The Ukrainian leader also ordered the government to take steps for unilateral demarcation of the state border with Russia.