Dear colleagues! Fellow Ukrainians!

We are starting a regular Government meeting.

Today, I am on a working visit to Donetsk region to examine the region’s problems on the ground.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made it clear that visits of ministers and other government officials to the frontline regions are their direct responsibility.

During the week, the ministers worked in the region to look into the problematic issues. And we have already made a number of important decisions and issued relevant instructions to ministries and agencies.

First. To strengthen defence capability and critical logistics, the Government has already allocated almost UAH 2.4 billion to restore roads in the frontline areas. This is important for the needs of our military, for humanitarian supplies, and for the evacuation of the wounded.

Second. In the agricultural sector, we have exempted agricultural producers from paying land tax and provided a discount for the transportation of export products. In the de-occupied territories, farmers can also receive up to UAH 8,000 of non-refundable aid per hectare of land.

Third. The Government facilitates preferential lending to businesses in the frontline areas under the 5-7-9% programme. Loan limits and maturity have been increased.

Fourth. Veterans’ policy. Single Veterans’ Windows are being opened at the Administrative Service Centres for consultations and services.

We are continuing the Veteran’s Assistant project. There are already 30 specialists in Donetsk region and another 34 people are being trained.

This is a comprehensive support for our defenders in the transition from military service to civilian life.

Today, the Government will determine the mechanism for providing a subvention from the state budget to the local level to finance the work of these specialists.

In total, UAH 3.2 billion of state funds have been allocated for the Veteran’s Assistant project.

Fifth. Healthcare. 81 medical institutions in Donetsk region have contracts worth more than UAH 1 billion to provide medical care to people living in the area of hostilities.

Unfortunately, a number of healthcare institutions were forced to relocate. Kyiv is facing an acute problem with their location. Therefore, the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development and the State Property Fund are instructed to work out the possibility of leasing real estate owned by Ukrzaliznytsia to them.

I also instruct the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, and the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development to intensify the information campaign among the population that medicines under the Affordable Medicines programme can be ordered and received through Ukrposhta.

This is a very important programme for thousands of Ukrainians.

This year, the Government has allocated UAH 5.2 billion for its implementation. People should be informed that there is an option to have medicines delivered.

Sixth. The Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Finance have been instructed to change the procedure for using subventions for the construction of shelters and modernisation of canteens in educational institutions.

All schools should receive the funds, regardless of the number of students enrolled.

This applies primarily to Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Kharkiv and Mykolaiv regions.

Seventh. Preparing for winter near the frontline. A major challenge that we are actively working on.

In many communities, wood is the main means of heating the premises.

Therefore, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources is instructed to develop a regulatory act that will give the green light for independent wood harvesting by residents of settlements. This procedure must be clearly regulated so that people can harvest enough firewood without harming our forests.

The Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Finance, together with the Deputy Prime Minister – Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, should urgently develop a mechanism for the distribution of humanitarian aid in the form of liquefied gas for the needs of household consumers. In particular, in Donetsk region.

Eighth. Uninterrupted power supply for our military.

The Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Energy and other ministries and agencies have been instructed to work out the issue of metering and payments for electricity consumed by military units in Donetsk region. The same will apply to other frontline regions.

Ninth. In the context of a full-scale war, the situation with water supply in Donetsk region is critical.

Prompt action is needed to provide people with water.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources should develop an algorithm for implementing a pilot project as soon as possible. The aim is to simplify the construction of artesian and other types of wells as much as possible.

As of today, there are already a thousand wells in Donetsk region that supply water to 65% of the population. Another 50 wells are planned to be installed in the near future.

Tenth. We pay special attention to fortifications.

I instruct the Ministry of Defence to immediately inform the Government about the financing of this construction in accordance with the approved schedule.

Since the beginning of the year, the state has allocated UAH 38 billion for the construction of defensive lines. We need to use these funds as quickly and efficiently as possible, because the lives of our soldiers and our defence capability depend on it.

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In conclusion, I would like to thank the defenders of Ukraine who are holding the frontline in Donetsk and other regions.

The strength and heroism of our military is the main factor that will determine the future of the country.

I am also grateful to all those who have the courage and responsibility to work, teach, treat and do business in the frontline areas.

This is what gives life to our communities. This is what gives strength to our country.

I am confident that we will win together. Together we will rebuild our Donetsk region and our other regions. Together we will build a new and better Ukraine.

Thank you for your attention!

Glory to Ukraine!