SES provided with two armored KrAZs to evacuate civilians from areas affected by shelling of terrorists

On commission of Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk the National Guard of Ukraine provided the State Emergency Service of Ukraine with two armored KrAZs-5233VE to continue evacuation of civilians from areas affected by constant shelling of the terrorists.

At a Cabinet’s meeting on Wednesday, February 4, Arseniy Yatsenyuk informed that a total of 2.500 people had been evacuated from Debaltseve, including over 600 children and 60 elderly persons who are unable to move independently. However, the buses that rescuers use to evacuate the civilians are constantly shelled by the Russia-led terrorists.

He underlined that the State Emergency Commission decided to urgently provide armored vehicles to the State Emergency Service for the evacuation of civilians.

The Prime Minister said that the vehicles had been completely armored for the passengers and drivers alike. Each KrAZ can carry at least 20 people, and, if necessary, even more.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk stressed that these vehicles are white, they are marked with a red cross. He drew attention to this fact of representatives of international organizations, especially the OSCE.

Moreover, he appealed to Russia, "which controls the terrorists", "Stop shelling civilians, stop shooting at civilians."

"These are crimes against humanity and the terrorists and Russia will account for this crime, including the Hague tribunal", the Prime Minister emphasized.

Handing over the armoured vehicles, the Chairman of the State Emergency Service Serhii Bochkovsky reported that the KrAZ trucks had been delivered by the SES just for one night, on commission of the Prime Minister aired by him at a meeting of the State Emergency Service, "The garrisons of the city of Kyiv and Kyiv region fulfilled the task timely. We have marked the vehicles appropriately, following the European standard – for everyone to see that this is a vehicle used by the rescue service".

Arseniy Yatsenyuk expressed gratitude to the State Emergency Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine for the operational efficiency to fulfil decisions of the State Commission for Emergency Situations in evacuation of the citizens from Debaltseve, Avdiyivka and other populated areas, those affected by the attacks of terrorists.

"I hope that by the night these two armored trucks reach the evacuation zone, and we will restore rescuing the civilians, children and the disabled from Debaltseve, Avdiyivka and those areas that are under constant shelling by the Russian terrorists," said Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

These two vehicles have been loaded by the SES workers with humanitarian assistance to the residents of Donetsk region. Together with 2 KrAZ trucks to the ATO area there has been sent about 10 tons of foodstuffs for the civilians.