ArmInfo. "Trucks War" between Russia and Ukraine cannot significantly affect freight traffic to Armenia, Karen Baghdasaryan, the Head of the Project Management Division at Spayka Company, told ArmInfo's correspondent. According to him, blocking of Russian-Ukrainian border for heavy trucks may cause losses for Armenia but they will be very insignificant. In his words almost all Ukrainian cargos are supplied to Armenia via Ilchievsk (Ukraine)- Poti/Batumi (Georgia) ferry line, and sea cargo traffic is cheaper a priori. He noted that only transit freight forwarders traffic may suffer, but in any case such shocking situations are undesirable.
Apaven Freight Forwarding Company informed ArmInfo, that it does not work in this direction, but however expressed opinion that the situation is unwanted neither for Armenia nor for other CIS countries. "It is early to forecast now whether our economy will suffer from this transport crisis between two large trade partners of Armenia", they emphasized.
According to the economists trade turnover between Armenia and Ukraine is quite high, in which the import of Ukrainian goods including perishables to Armenia has the major share. Mainly Ukrainian freight forwarders as well as Russian ones (in transit) supply goods to Armenia.
To recall, yesterday Russia officially ordered that Ukraine-registered trucks be stopped from entering in Russia, in response to growing efforts by protesters in Ukraine to block Russian
trucks since February 12.
According to National Statistical Service of Armenia, turnover between Armenia and Ukraine totaled 130.9 mln USD at year-end 2015, dropping by 38.4% year over year. Share of trade with Ukraine in Armenia's total foreign goods turnover made up 2.8%.