Poles dump grain from Ukrainian trucks near border amid new protests: reactions
During the ongoing protests on the border with Poland, Polish farmers dumped Ukrainian grain on the road from three trucks that passed through the Dorohusk checkpoint, reported RMF24.
The incident took place on Sunday on the road leading to the border crossing in Dorohusk, not far from the protest site.
Police commissioner of Chelm, Ewa Czyż, said that three trucks with Ukrainian citizens entered the territory of Poland after registration.
"Participants of the protest did not let the transport go any further and at some point opened the trailers, as a result of which grain spilled onto the road. The drivers turned back towards Ukraine," she said.
According to the police commissioner, there were no clashes or dangerous situations. The police are investigating the details of the incident and collecting evidence. "We are conducting an investigation, establishing the personal data of the people who participated in it, and interviewing the witnesses," the commissioner added.
The data collected by the police will be sent to the prosecutor's office for legal and criminal examination.
Reactions of Ukrainians
The mayor of Lviv, Andriy Sadovyi, reacted to the antics of Polish farmers.
"Let's call a spade a spade. This photo shows Ukrainian grain that was dumped by Polish, but actually pro-Russian provocateurs, from Ukrainian trucks. The pseudo-blockade on the border continues. Ukrainians are literally watering the fields that produce this grain with blood. Harvesting wheat in a field that saw the war, it's like working as a sapper. Such actions (of Poles. – ed.) are baseness and shame," wrote Sadovyi.
Ambassador of Ukraine to the USA Oksana Markarova also commented on the actions of the Poles. She emphasized that it is important not to succumb to the provocations of individual groups, but to counter the common enemy, that is, Russia, together with partners.
Polish farmers took to the streets on Friday to protest against the European Green Deal and the opening of the market for agricultural products from Ukraine. This is the largest protest in Poland in recent years.
On the first day of the strike, Polish protesters began to disrupt rail transport from Ukraine. Due to farmers' protests, movement through the checkpoints Medyka–Shehyni, Hrebenne – Rava-Ruska and Dorohusk-Yahodyn was complicated. On Monday, farmers may block two more checkpoints on the Ukrainian border.
Polish Minister Czesław Siekierski said he would ask farmers to unblock the checkpoints.