Kiev, 24 October 2014 – “Ahead of early parliamentary elections that will take place on Sunday 26 October law enforcement agencies, special forces, the National Guard and Ukrainian Armed Forces are put on alert. On liberated territories in Donbas forces of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) will pay more attention to counter-terrorist activities as well as will ensure security at polling stations during the voting and ballots count. Ukrainian citizens will be able to freely implement their voting right,” – informed Colonel Lysenko, spokesman of the Information Analytical Center of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) at a briefing in the Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
He quoted the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko who stated that “safety at polling stations needs be secured not by volunteer battalions whose functions are different but by combined police units. In areas adjacent to the frontline they will be reinforced by units of the National Guard and of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.” The Head of the State has instructed accordingly heads of law enforcement agencies.”
Commenting on the situation in the ATO zone the Colonel informed that shelling of ATO forces decreased in number and became less intense.
Yesterday no shelling with multiple rocket launcher systems was observed. Today in the morning at 8.25 and at 8.30 terrorists shelled twice with Grad MRLS the air-control tower at the Donetsk airport.
Within the last 24 hours no Ukrainian servicemen were killed, 8 got injured.
Terrorists keep violating ceasefire regime in some districts. Yesterday Ukrainian military repelled two attempts to storm our positions near Berezove and Krasnohorivka of Donetsk region. Attacks were launched following artillery and mortar shelling. In the South terrorists used heavy armament twice near Novolaspa, Telmanove and Pavlopil of Novoazovsky district.
In the North of ATO zone Ukrainian airspace was violated and aerial reconnaissance using UAVs was spotted 4 times near population centers Mistky, Starobilsk, Orikhovo.
Commenting on the situation in population centers in the ATO zone Colonel Lysenko informed that within the last 24 hours 2091 persons including 388 children and 617 disabled and elderly were moved to other regions from ATO zone. In total 382 255 persons including 116 870 children and 77 873 disabled and elderly were moved.
Within the last 24 hours explosives units of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine discovered and neutralized 263 units of ammunition including 60 artillery shells, 24 mortar mines, 9 combat grenades and mines, 13 rocket-assisted projectiles units of ammunition and 157 other highly-explosive objects. Total of 9,2 hectares of territory were checked. 25 105 units of ammunition have been discovered and neutralized over the whole course of works from 6 July 2014.
Yesterday humanitarian aid from the Government of Germany was delivered to Dnipropetrovsk. 5 trucks arrived in the city, these are only the first consignment of aid for this region. Dnipropetrovsk will receive a total of 10 trucks of humanitarian aid from the Government of Germany will overall weight of around 200 tones.
Such humanitarian aid from the Government of Germany earlier reached Kharkiv consisting of 16 vehicles and Zaporizhia with 8 vehicles.
NSDC spokesman envisaged reaction of the international community to the events in Ukraine. Jen Psaki, Spokesperson for the US Department of State said that the US highly appreciate efforts of the Ukrainian government to secure free and just elections of 26 October and condemned any efforts of side forces to impede the democratic will expression of the citizens. She noted that the United States will accept as legitimate the parliamentary elections of 26 October and local elections of 7 December in areas featuring special local self-governance status in Donbas. No other “elections” will be accepted as legitimate.
Today a delegation of 14 members of the European Parliament will start its observation mission over the parliamentary elections in Ukraine. The delegation is headed by Andrej Plenković – an MEP from Croatia. The Delegation will finish its work after the joint press-conference to take place on 27 October.
