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Russian Railways Denies Disruption to Ukraine Trips

Russian Railways said Friday that rail travel between Ukraine and Russia will not be disrupted, despite its Ukrainian counterpart suspending sales of domestic and international train tickets to Crimea.

Ukrainian Railways earlier announced that it was canceling ticket sales for travel across Ukraine to Crimea after May 27 due to an inconsistency with timetabling in the Black Sea region, and asked Russian and Belarussian rail operators to do the same, RIA Novosti reported.

However, Gennady Verkovykh, head of the passenger services at Russian Railways, said the measure was only a temporary step while Ukrainian Railways readjusted its summer timetable.

"Once the corrections have been made … sales will be reopened" Verkovykh said, citing a phone conversation with officials from Ukrainian Railways. He added that this process could take between five and seven days.

Ukrainian Railways said it would meet with Russian and Belarussian state rail operators next week to discuss the rail timetable for 2014-2015.

Belarussian Railways issued a statement later on Friday to say that it will cease ticket sales to Crimea after May 27.

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