Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has begun his trip to Donetsk region, to defense lines near Mariupol.

Poroshenko, accompanied by Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak, Presidential Administration First Deputy Head Vitaliy Kovalchuk, acting head of Donetsk Region Military-Civilian Administration Oleksandr Kykhtenko and the latter's possible successor Pavlo Zhebrivsky, is examining platoon strong points, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent has reported.

Poroshenko has listened to reports of servicemen supervising construction of the defense lines.

He is expected to make a statement for the press after the visit is over.