KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine's state-run railway company Ukrzaliznytsya said on Tuesday it had suspended cooperation with a cargo branch of Russian Railways as part of a wave of sanctions against Russia over its support for separatists in the east of the country.
Kiev said last week it was imposing restrictions on more than 90 companies or groups, mostly from Russia.
"Ukrzaliznytsya is not handling cargo and (rail) cars operated by Russia's freight railway operator Freight One or its daughter company," Ukrzaliznytsya said in a statement.
It said that there were over 2,300 freight cars belonging to Russian Railways currently in Ukraine and all of them would be sent back to Russia.
Ukrzaliznytsya added that Russian railway operators had processed 1.5 million tonnes of cargo in Ukraine so far this year or 0.6 percent of the country's total railway cargo turnover.
Last week Ukraine banned Russian airlines, including Aeroflot, from flying to Ukraine from Oct. 25, prompting Russia to impose similar restrictions on Ukrainian airlines flying in Russian airspace.
Ukraine has accused Russia of sending arms and troops to help pro-Moscow separatists fighting its soldiers in the east of the country, in a conflict which has killed over 8,000 people since April 2014. Russia denies involvement.