Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) on Thursday issued a number of instructions to the Interior Ministry, the Security Service and the National Guard as part of urgent measures to neutralize threats to the country's energy security and strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure.

In its February 16 decision, published on the Ukrainian president's official website on Thursday evening, the NSDC also instructed the Interior Ministry and the Security Service to urgently "take exhaustive measures to ensure public order" in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The Interior Ministry and the Security Service are also to ensure proper protection of gas- and power-supply facilities and transport infrastructure in the ATO zone in Donbas and maintain an adequate level of safety to ensure their smooth function.

Furthermore, the National Police, the National Guard and the Security Service have been instructed to ensure safety and prevent, in a statutory manner, any attempt to violate public order on critical infrastructure.