Petro POROSHENKO: “The entire Ukraine is building the lines of defense”

“During his working visit to Donetsk region, the president inspected construction of fortifications. The head of state noted that he saw no serious issues with the construction effort,” the presidential press service reports. According to him, the Minsk Accords provided Ukraine with much-needed breathing space which it is using to strengthen the nation’s defense.

The president said after the inspection that about 300 fortifications were planned, and 100 strongholds had been already completed. This work is carried out by the Armed Forces in cooperation with designated local administrations. All 21 regional state administrations are working on their assigned areas. “The entire Ukraine is building the lines of defense,” Poroshenko stressed.

The president noted that the volume and pace of construction of defenses were unprecedented. The construction effort should be completed by mid-July. During the construction, the initial project was constantly improved with new engineering solutions. He said the work on the first line of defense was the most difficult.

The president stressed that, despite the fact that the construction effort was going on in wartime, the procedures used were the peacetime ones, involving market mechanisms such as the tendering process. The total cost of construction of defenses is estimated at one billion hryvnias.

The head of state noted the high level of cooperation between branches of the government in the process. Where existing regulations were found lacking, the president initiated amendments to laws which were promptly passed by the Verkhovna Rada.

“We have to do everything to defend our country, to work 24 hours a day for it,” Poroshenko stressed.

The president inspected a stronghold, complete with a system of communications, a control and observation post, shelters, trench system, and protective metal and concrete containers.