Shakhtarsk Raion had one international border crossing with the Russian Federation, Marynivka - Kuibyshevo. On June 5, 2014 the Government of Ukraine was forced to close the border crossing, due to multiple reports of unsanctioned crossings by militants from the Russian Federation. On June 6, 2014 intense fighting erupted at the Marynivka border checkpoint between Ukrainian border guards and militants who tried to cross into Ukraine from the Russian Federation.