The Ukrainian authorities intend to spend about UAH 1 billion on the fortification work on the demarcation line in Donbas, deputy commander of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) Colonel Valentyn Fedychev said on Wednesday, the press service of Donetsk Regional Military and Civil Administration reported.

"At present, Ukraine has to spend a lot of money - about UAH 1 billion to transform the demarcation line into a fortress impregnable for Russian occupiers," Fedychev said.

At the same time, he said that the Ukrainian military were preparing "exclusively for defense."