Arseniy Yatsenyuk: Government introduces emergency regime in Donetsk and Luhansk regions and high alert regime throughout Ukraine

The Ukrainian Government has taken a decision to introduce an emergency regime on the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, a high alert mode throughout the entire Ukraine’s territory and to set up a State Emergency Commission. Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk announced during a visiting session of the Government at the SES of Ukraine on Monday, January 26.

"Pursuant to the Code of Civil Defence of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has adopted a decision to declare an emergency regime at the state level. The Ukrainian Government approved a decision to introduce the emergency regime on the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions", stressed the Head of Government.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk informed that the Cabinet of Ministers had taken a decision to introduce the high alert mode on the entire Ukraine’s territory.

"But don’t confuse it with the state of emergency and martial law, which are enacted by Parliament’s decision. Our decision is aimed at only one thing – everyone should work 24 hours a day and seven days a week," he said.

"These decisions are aimed at complete coordination of activities of all authorities to ensure the safety of citizens and civil protection of the population", Arseniy Yatsenyuk emphasized.

Another decision approved by the Ukrainian Government was to establish a State Emergency Commission, with Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk to chair the State Emergency Commission and Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Hennadii Zubko and Chairman of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine Serhii Bochkovsky as his deputies.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk informed that the Government had decided to establish regional emergency coordination centers, "In each area, by analogy with the State Emergency Commission, chaired by head of regional state administration there shall be set up a corresponding regional emergency commission".

He stressed that an objective for both the state and the regional commissions is to hold an inventory of all civil protection objects. The Prime Minister said that the Cabinet of Ministers would issue a special order which authorizes the State Emergency Service to verify all the civil protection objects.

Another task of the Commission, according to the Head of the Government, is to form a single registry of required delivery of supplies and equipment. Arseniy Yatsenyuk appealed to the heads of regional administrations to create such registries at the regional level, “This single register should contain engineering equipment, logistical support and clothing, medicines, food".

Arseniy Yatsenyuk instructed the SES Head Serhii Bochkovsky to start forming a single demand registry for engineering equipment as "terrorists destroyed dozens units of engineering equipment in possession of the Emergency Service”.

The Prime Minister appealed to Health Minister Olexandr Kvitashvili together with the State Reserve Agency to carry an inventory of warehouses and to immediately submit to the Government their decision on unlocking resources of the State Reserve Agency, including drugs and pharmaceuticals.

"After the State Emergency Service summarizes overall demand for medication, I ask the Ministry of Health to address our western partners and international organizations with a request to provide additional humanitarian aid in the shape of medicines and medical purpose goods that are needed to eliminate the consequences of the emergency situation", stressed Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

Moreover, he ordered the State Reserve Agency in synergy with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, PJSC the Agrarian Fund to promptly obtain requests for nutrition from the State Emergency Service "to check what is in reality, not on paper, stored in the elevators and warehouses".

The Prime Minister instructed "the State Reserve Agency to unlock resources, the Ministry of Finance to allocate additional funds from the reserve fund for the logistical support of the State Emergency Service and the State Reserve Agency, the Agrarian Ministry through the Agricultural Fund to meet the product demand, if any, especially for flour and grain."

"Today's decision means that the country has created a unified protection system of the citizens. The State Emergency Commission with the relevant regional commissions bears full responsibility for the situation in every region", Arseniy Yatsenyuk emphasized.

He appealed to the heads of the regional state administrations to submit lists of required products at the regional level through the State Emergency Service, "the Ministry of Economy should correlate the needs of the regions with their opportunities for the manufacture of products needed to meet emergencies, in every region. Further, according to the law, the Government is to decide to finance from the reserve fund."

"The country has introduced a special regime following the mobilisation. We’ve raised the level up to high alert and emergency. This means that local budgets must necessarily provide funds for emergencies, mobilisation, medicines, food. The central Government will give its part, but I appeal to you to ensure your piece of work," Arseniy Yatsenyuk addressed to the heads of the regional state administrations.

The Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry to provide the regions with fuel and lubricants requested by the State Emergency Service: "There are several hundred of carriages with stable gasoline. Immediately receive a request from the State Emergency Services, and "Ukrgasvydobuvannia" and other companies, where the state has a controlling stake, including "Ukrnafta", to provide fuel and lubricants for the respective regions."

Arseniy Yatsenyuk instructed to inform the public about security situation on daily basis, "In schools, hospitals, across all media, in all the regions - to inform clearly the public about security situation on a daily basis, inform the citizens about what to do in case of an emergency, where to call, where to go. Informing the public about the availability of logistical supplies, medicines, food, equipment."

He appealed to the head of the SES, stressing the need for trainings of civil protection of the citizens.

In addition, Arseniy Yatsenyuk addressed to the heads of the regional state administrations to concentrate available resources for aligning civil protection structures, "so they can be exploited, so that people can shelter there if necessary."

The Prime Minister informed that the meeting of the State Emergency Commission is to be held on a regular basis. The deputy Head of the Commission is to conduct briefings daily.

The Commission, according to the PM, will take "the necessary decisions focused only on one thing - human security, security of every citizen": "We must protect people. That’s what for the entire state machine has been built - to protect every person."