Russia plans to start regular rail services that avoid Ukraine's transit in 2017

MOSCOW, Aug. 8 (Xinhuanet) - Russian Railways Minister Maxime Sokolov said on Tuesday that a new railway line, which will replace the line passing through Ukrainian territory, will be operated regularly this year.

"This year," Sokolov told reporters when asked when the railway would start operating regularly.

The new 137-km double-track rail link between the Khoravka railway station in Russia's Voronezh region, about 32 km from the Ukrainian border and the town of Milerovo in the Rostov region, are said to avoid crossing the border near Ukraine.

Sokolov pointed out that the construction of the new rail line aims to increase the safety of travel and transport of goods.

In September 2015, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a document on the construction of a railway line allowing Russian trains to encircle Ukrainian territory en route to the south of the country.

In December 2016, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shweigo said there were plans to build a rail line that would avoid passage through Ukraine before September 2017.