Arseniy Yatsenyuk arrives to one of checkpoints in ATO area

Arseniy Yatsenyuk told to journalists visiting the checkpoint that the majority of Slovyansk citizens he had talked to didn’t support terrorists, wanted “the return of legal authorities who will be fighting against corruption, provide with workplaces, salary”.

The Head of Government noted a question of Russian language hadn’t been raised in the communication with the residents of Slovyansk, he had talked Russian to them.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk emphasized, that the current situation could be solved in “two parts – a political solution of the problem and an anti-terrorist operation”: “Those who are holding weapon in their hands must surrender the arms and bear responsibility. Those who surrender their weapon willingly and abandon the buildings and haven’t committed serious crimes fall under amnesty”.

With regards to the political part, Arseniy Yatsenyuk stressed the Constitution needed to be amended: “We shall provide regions with additional authorities, render a special status to Russian language”.

Besides, according to the Prime Minister, the task of today is to load the factories, though “it is clear that having the Russian troops on the border and terrorists inside it proves hard to curb the economy”.  

He emphasized the need to ensure legality and rule of law, assist Ukrainian Armed Forces.

“The military component is being solved – new equipment, new armament and providing with human resources. Our soldiers are ready to fulfill the tasks in defending Ukrainian statehood,” the Head of Government underlined.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk informed after the current trip he would have “a serious meeting with the leaders of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Defense Ministry to discuss how to ensure coordination and how to think about the people who are protecting independence of Ukrainian state”.

As was reported on May 7, the Premier of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk visited an anti-terrorist operation area. He flew by military plane together with the security subdivision that arrived according to the planned rotation round. The Head of Government handed over to the Ukrainian defenders first four out of 42 BTR-4E armoured personnel carriers, which were manufactured by the Malyshev Transport Machinery Factory in Kharkiv and purchased under a special Government’s program for the Omega special subdivision of the National Guards of Ukraine. The Prime Minister of Ukraine handed rewards to the soldiers participating in the ATO.