Speaker for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Oleh Slobodyan says 3,300 foreigners, including 1,900 Russian citizens, crossed the Ukrainian border on the first day after a new biometric system was launched, according to TV Channel 112 Ukraine.
Ukraine's envoy to the Trilateral Contact Group Yevhen Marchuk has said Russia withdrew its representatives from the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination (JCCC) in Donbas since they would have to provide biometric data on some 300 personnel after the introduction of biometric control at the border from January 1.
Biometric control procedures have been introduced in a test mode on the border with Russia with the use of mobile passport readers at main border checkpoints, TSN news service reports.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has commented on the possibility of cutting diplomatic relations with Russia, Radio Liberty reported.
Moscow will take measures in response to tightening by the Kyiv government of the border crossing regulations for Russian citizens, "which can be considered a visa regime," first deputy head of the Defense and Security Committee of the Council of Federation Franz Klintsevich said Monday, RIA Novosti reports.