An endless line of Russian trucks, nearly 80 kilometers long, delayed a route that serves as a boundary between Poland and Belarus, when drivers tried to leave the European Union before the series of penalties imposed by the body expired.

The gridlock formed over the weekend and reached its highest on Saturday, when the delays got out of control, with drivers that take up to 33 hours on completion of the journey.

The conflict arose when the EU banned the entry or stay on its territory of trucks from Russia and Belarus, except those carrying drugs, mail or petroleum products. The sanctions are part of the measures adopted after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Sunday is the last day of departure of trucks on European territory. It is because of that they decided to go out in bulk on the weekend. Drone footage shown by the Reuters news agency showed a long queue remaining as the midnight deadline on Saturday approached.

Some trucks were stuck for up to 33 hours, then waiting times dropped to 12 hours, the BBC said, in Warsaw. “Many more kilometers … so unrealistic “to cross the border in time”said a Belarusian driver at the station.

On lines that were virtually undeveloped and as nerves rose before the entry into force of the ban on the movement of Russian or Belarusian trucks, things became tense at the border. Large queues were also reported in Lithuania.

A Polish official from the transport area expressed his concern over the matter. It is the truck drivers from that country may suffer in Russia and Belarus.

Minsk has been banned in recent weeks the circulation in its territory of vehicles with community registration, which took effect on Friday night. The EU, and many other Western countries, have imposed sanctions against Russia and its main ally, Belarus.

A situation is resolved

The situation on the Koroszczyn pass, between Poland and Belarus, has become normal at dawn on Monday, when the massive recorded gridlock began to loosen.

approximately 50 trucks they are waiting this Monday morning left for Belarus by crossing this border, the PAP news agency in Poland reports.

On Sunday, the number of heavy vehicles waiting their turn was 400, with standby times up to 13 hourswhile now the average is two hours, according to that source.

The deadline to leave the EU is set on April 9. During this transition, these carriers intend to can arrange their remaining deliveries and return to their respective countries.

The European Union was imposed at that time five rounds of sanctions against Russia, which includes the energy sensitive sector in the final batch for the first time. In this new step, he banned coal imports and targeted higher-profile individuals and banks.