Nov 26, 2009, 9:36 GMT
Kiev - Russian border troops on Thursday shot dead a Ukrainian attempting to enter Ukraine at an unauthorised crossing point, Interfax news agency reported.
The victim, a male resident of Ukraine's Kharkiv province, had been driving a vehicle towing a trailer when detected by a Russian patrol, according to a statement from the Ukrainian Border Troops.
Russian troops opened fire on the vehicle after the driver of the hatchback ignored an order to halt and a warning shot.
One bullet struck the man in the neck, halting the car and trailer five meters short of Russia's border with Ukraine. Soldiers' efforts to treat the injury failed, and the man died of blood loss, according to the Interfax report and Border Troops statement.
The car's trailer had been loaded with boats or rafts, according to Russian media reports.
Russian and Ukrainian citizens may cross the international frontier between the two countries without visas, but only at sanctioned border crossing points.
Price differences for some retail goods sold in the two countries, particularly Russian fuel and Ukrainian foodstuffs, have made smuggling widespread.
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