[1] The border post became part of protracted struggle between the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and pro-Russian Donbas insurgents affiliated with the Lugansk People's Republic during the rising unrest in Ukraine in the aftermath of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution.
Despite this, the Border Guard was overwhelmed by insurgents on 20 June 2014, and was forced to retreat into Russian territory, where many guardsmen were captured, and later returned to Ukraine.
[2][3][4] On 23 June 2014, the Ukraine government temporarily closed the Izvaryne checkpoint to travel into or from Donets, Russia.
[6] It was reported in July that the post was used by the insurgents as vital link to supplies and reinforcements from Russia.
[7] According to the Russian Federal Security Service forty-one Ukrainian soldiers defected to Russia at Izvaryne on 27 July.