The forces of the anti-terrorist operation will cease combat actions from Friday, June 20, until June 27. This was stated by President Petro Poroshenko during a meeting with residents of Sviatohirsk in the Donetsk region, according to the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
According to the president, such measures were necessary to allow terrorists to lay down their arms, while those who do not will be destroyed.
“The combat actions will only be retaliatory, i.e. if the militants attack our forces, the president emphasized. He also stated that in the near future, the restoration of houses destroyed during the fighting will begin. All restoration works will be conducted at the expense of the state,” the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.
Subsequently, the press service of the head of state reported that the president ordered all units of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the Border Guard Service to cease fire for a week.
“The Ukrainian army ceases fire! But this does not mean that we will not respond in case of aggression against our military, we will do everything to protect the territory of our state,” Poroshenko stated.
“The issue of territorial integrity is not subject to discussion,” the president emphasized.
Poroshenko also delivered thermal imaging devices, bulletproof vests, and night vision binoculars to the military and National Guard fighters serving at the checkpoints.
At a meeting with citizens of the Donetsk region in Sviatohirsk, the president spoke about a peace plan to resolve the situation in the region, which was supported by the local population and internally displaced persons from Sloviansk.
As reported, President Poroshenko proposed a peaceful plan to resolve the conflict in the East, which includes a corridor for mercenaries, a temporary ceasefire, and the establishment of a ten-kilometer buffer zone on the border with Russia.