KIEV, April 18. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine’s state border service has announced tightening control over the state border and has pledged to “ensure the rule of law on the border by all means available”.

The border service warns it is ready “to use firearms” if necessary, the agency’s press service said on Friday.

“All border detachments are prepared to protect their territories from any form of aggression,” it said. “It should be noted that military camps and border checkpoints are border guard posts. And in the event that they are seized or blocked, the border guard will act according to the situation and will accomplish the tasks set to the fullest extent.”

“If necessary, according to the law of Ukraine and Ukraine’s Armed Forces regulations, the border guard will have to use firearms,” the agency added.

Ukraine authorities notified Russian airline Aeroflot on Thursday that they were introducing entry restrictions for male citizens of Russia aged between 16 and 60. The same restrictions apply to citizens of Ukraine registered in Crimea and in the Russian federal city of Sevastopol, newly integrated into the Russian Federation.