Law enforcers blocking seized buildings in eastern Ukraine, to act in line with anti-terrorism law - Pashynsky
Law enforcers have blocked the buildings seized in eastern Ukraine, and if the situation is not resolved peacefully, the security forces will act in line with the law on combating terrorism, acting Head of Ukraine's Presidential Administration Serhiy Pashynsky has said.
"The SBU building in Luhansk has currently been seized for two days, and it has been blocked by special forces and units of the Interior Ministry. The building of the regional state administration has been seized in Donetsk, and it has also been blocked by special forces and police units. If we do not find the words that will help resolve the situation peacefully, then, in accordance with the law on combating terrorism and other acts, we will resolve the problem according to the competence of law enforcement agencies that are involved there," he told journalists in Kyiv on Tuesday.
Pashynsky said that Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister Vitaliy Yarema was currently coordinating the work of law enforcement agencies in Donetsk, whereas SBU Chief Valentyn Nalyvaichenko was in Luhansk.
"Measures have been taken to redeploy special forces to the eastern regions of Ukraine, and our forces have blocked the premises. Weapons have not been removed, and given our desire to avoid bloodshed, we proposed that terrorists lay down their arms and surrender voluntarily," he said.
At the same time, Pashynsky said: "Once again I want to appeal to those people who were actually involved by the agents of a foreign state in this activity - lay down arms and leave the premises that have been seized. We give them last chance to avoid punishment."
He said that the operation was continuing and that it would be completed.
"The operation will be finished after we settle the problem with the seizure of the SBU office in Luhansk and Donetsk Regional State Administration," he said.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, when speaking about the situation in Kharkiv, noted that the building of the regional state administration was currently "under control, and armed security guards have been placed."
"The situation there is now stable. We expect that the situation will also be the same in Donetsk and Luhansk," Avakov added.