The situation with forest fires in Luhansk region will be considered at a meeting of the Commission on Technogenic and Environmental Safety and Emergencies that will adopt a decision on the allocation of the necessary for the victims assistance.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal announced during today’s Government meeting.

"There occurred a terrible tragedy, people died. On behalf of our Government, I express my condolences to the families and relatives of the victims," said the Prime Minister.

Moreover, Denys Shmyhal stressed that a meeting of the Commission on Technogenic and Environmental Safety and Emergencies will be summoned tomorrow and the issues of damage assessment and allocation of funds for victims should be considered. "Today, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov, the Head of the State Emergency Service Mykola Chechotkin were at the scene of the fire. Rescuers, air and ground equipment were promptly delivered to Luhansk region, and the Armed Forces and the National Guard were involved in the extinguishing forest fires. At the moment, there are still three relatively small fire areas, which are localized, but the fight to contain the blaze continues," stressed the Head of Government.

The current objective of the Government, according to him, is to help people who have lost their homes and property. "According to preliminary estimates, dozens of houses have been burnt to the ground. Therefore, I commission the representatives of local authorities and relevant ministries to prepare a preliminary estimate for the Government to urgently allocate funds to the families of the affected areas. The Reserve Fund has the necessary resource. All calculations must be made by tomorrow to be submitted at the meeting of the Commission on Technogenic and Environmental Safety and Emergencies. Aftermath, we will adopt a relevant decision to allocate the required amount of funds to all those who need it," said Denys Shmyhal.

In his statement during the Government session, Ihor Klymenko, Head of the National Police of Ukraine, noted that the National Police is currently considering three main versions of the fire occurrence. "These are difficult weather conditions that led to the fires. The second version is careless handling of fire, and the third version is a possibility of arson. Moreover, we are now checking the version of possible shelling from the uncontrolled territory. The day before, there was a shelling of a Ukrainian base with use of tracer ammunition," the National Police chief said.

Following the discussion, the Government approved a protocol order to the Luhansk Regional State Administration, Military-Civil Administration in synergy with the SES and other executive authorities and local governments to urgently ensure the calculation of damages be provided. After receiving the data, the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture should prepare a draft decision of the Cabinet of Ministers on the allocation of funds from the Reserve Fund of the state budget for compensation.