Pro-Russians in charge of Ukrainian border crossing Ukrainian authorities said Thursday they had closed three checkpoints on the border with Russia after nightly assaults by separatists. The three checkpoints, all in the volatile Lugansk region, were targeted in attacks by pro-Russian rebels overnight Wednesday to Thursday, the border guards said in a statement. At the Dolzhanksy border crossing, one of the pro-Russian militants now in charge said they had issued the Ukrainian border guards 'an ultimatum'. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES.