The Kremlin bears responsibility for the humanitarian disaster approaching the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Arseniy Yatsenyuk says

"The sooner Russian military withdraw from Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the sooner the people there start to live a normal life," stressed Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk during a joint media conference with Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg in Kyiv on November 18.

"The task of the Government is to begin restoring Donbas, which was destroyed by Russians. But to start doing that, it is necessary to make the Russian Federation abide by all 12 basic principles of the Minsk Protocol, it insisted on, it signed and was obliged to fulfil, but violated," emphasized Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

According to him, issues of supplying the territory controlled by the Russian troops with foodstuffs and providing with social benefits are exclusively in the hands of the Kremlin. "The Kremlin bears responsibility for the humanitarian disaster approaching the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions", said the Head of Government.

"The sooner Russian military withdraw from Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the sooner the people who became hostages to the imperial ambitions there start to live a normal life. They won’t be subjected to mockery, bandits with guns will cease wandering, taking away their property, money. And normal life will resume there," explained Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

Answering a question about the situation with payments in the territories that are controlled by terrorists, Arseniy Yatsenyuk said, "We want peace. We want the people who are Ukrainian citizens and are under control of Russian terrorists could receive their pensions and salaries, have jobs, could get medical care and social assistance. And to free these people from being hostages to the Russian regime and the terrorists backed by it”.

"Are we now able to pay off pensions and salaries? We aren’t. As any cash-in-transit vehicle with cash that arrives to the territory controlled by Russia-backed terrorists is just plundered. Can we send humanitarian aid? We cannot. As when certain humanitarian aid which was gathered by the Ukrainian Government reaches the first checkpoint that is controlled by Russian terrorists, it would either banned entrance or simply stolen," said the Head of Government.

He promised the Government would ensure delivery of electricity and heating to these areas. "But I have already declared and declare it again, this means that the amount of funds accumulated as social and other benefits and subsidies for the residents of Donetsk and Luhansk regions [which are controlled by terrorists – ed.], will be reduced by the cost of electricity and gas being delivered there," said Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

He thanked the Prime Minister of Norway for the assistance for the internally displaced persons.