Protests in Poland: Ukrzaliznytsia explains what to do when passengers miss the train
23 February 2024 06:48
Passengers who were unable to catch their train to Ukraine on time due to the blocking of tracks by Polish activists will be able to board the next flights departing within the next 24 hours. This was announced by the spokesman for the passenger division of UZ, Oleksandr Shevchenko, on his Facebook page, reports 
“If you do not catch your Ukrainian train, you can take any of our next ones within 24 hours. With tickets for your missed flight. Of course, we can’t guarantee a free seat for everyone, but we will take you on one of our trains,”
– Shevchenko wrote.
UZ noted that this option is available for the following trains:
- no. 768 Warsaw – Rava-Ruska (boarding is possible in Lublin);
- no. 32 Przemyśl – Zaporizhzhia;
- no. 52 Przemyśl – Kyiv;
- no. 716 Przemyśl – Kyiv;
- no. 706 Przemyśl – Kyiv;
- no. 90 Przemyśl – Kyiv;
- no. 94 Chełm – Kharkiv;
- no. 24 Chełm – Kyiv;
- no. 20 Chełm – Kyiv;
- no. 120 Chełm – Dnipro.
Ukrzaliznytsia noted that it does not guarantee the availability of seats, “but will do everything possible to comfortably accommodate additional passengers on trains and bring them to Ukraine on schedule.”
The company added that trains between Poland and Ukraine are currently running as normal.
Border blockade
on 9 February 2024, Polish farmers launched a new nationwide strike and blockade of the border with Ukraine, which will last until 10 March. The initiator was the independent farmers’ trade union Solidarity. Starting from 12 February, they plan to block all checkpoints. The main demand of the protesters is to cancel the preferential trade regime with Ukraine and return the permit system for importing goods into Poland.
Problems at the border began on 6 November 2023, when Polish transport companies began blocking truck traffic at three major checkpoints on the Ukrainian border: “Korczowa-Krakowiec, Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska, and Dorohusk-Yagodyn. One of the requirements was to reinstate the permits for Ukrainian carriers that had been cancelled under the agreement with the EU by 30 June 2024.
On6 January, truck traffic to the Medyka-Shehyni border crossingin Poland resumed. Three other border crossing points were opened on 17 January, namely Dorohusk – Yagodyn, Hrebenne – Rava-Ruska, and Korczowa – Krakivets.
In Romania, on 13 and 14 January, local farmers blocked the movement of Ukrainian trucks through the Siret checkpoint, and on 15 January, they began blocking the Vicovu de Sus checkpoint. on 18 January, Romanian farmers began blockading the Dyakove-Halmeu checkpoint. However, as of 20 January, these checkpoints were opened.
Currently, the blockade of the border continues, with “Polish farmers” blocking truck traffic at six checkpoints. on 21 February, according to the State Border Guard Service, there were more than 2,500 trucks in queues.
Meanwhile, Poland has already imposed an embargo on Ukrainian grain, according to Polish Deputy Minister of Agriculture Michal Kolodziejczak.
Polish Minister of Development and Technology Krzysztof Hetman, in turn, said that Poland could impose an embargo on all Ukrainian agricultural products.
Yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy scheduled a meeting with Polish leaders at the border.
