The State Administration of Railroad Transportation in Ukraine (Ukrzaliznytsia) has dismissed claims that passenger train services between Ukraine and the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) have fully stopped as of December 1.

There was no discontinuation of service, only a change in the frequency of trains running between Kyiv and Krasny Lyman: every second day instead of every day, an Ukrzaliznytsia spokesperson told Interfax-Ukraine.

There have been no changes in the schedules of other trains.

Earlier, the so-called transport minister, Semen Kuzmenko, of the self proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, said the passenger service between Ukraine and the DPR had stopped. "There is no passenger link with Ukraine, freight transportation services have not been affected yet. Our information is that some routes in Ukraine are only at 20% capacity. People refuse to travel because of a big hook they have to make to bypass our republic," he said.

It was also reported that Ukrzaliznytsia has prepared proposals to discontinue passenger transportation services in the military-operation zone in the east of the country under the president's order to enforce decisions of the National Security and Defense Council of November 4, "On urgent measures to stabilize the socio-economic situation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions."